Birria Ravioli Recipe

Toast chiles

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo and ancho chiles 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burnt. Remove and let cool.

Hydrate chiles

Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with 1 cup very hot water. Let soak 15 minutes until softened; reserve soaking liquid.

Prepare chile puree

In a blender add soaked chiles (drain but reserve a few tablespoons of soaking liquid), roma tomato, onion, garlic, chipotle, red wine vinegar, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved soaking liquid or water. Puree until smooth.

Brown the beef

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Season beef cubes lightly with salt and pepper and brown in batches 2–3 minutes per side to develop color. Remove browned beef and set aside.

Simmer birria

Reduce heat to medium. Add the chile puree to the pot and cook 2–3 minutes to bloom flavors, scraping browned bits. Return beef to pot, add beef broth (2 cups), bay leaf and any reserved chile soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook low for 1.5–2 hours until beef is very tender and shreds easily. Alternatively braise in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 1.5–2 hours.

Shred and reduce

Remove beef and shred finely with two forks. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl and reserve 4 cups for the creamy consommé and additional sauce. Taste shredded beef and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Mix a few tablespoons of the strained sauce back into the shredded beef to keep it moist and flavorful for filling.

Make pasta dough

On a clean work surface mound 2 cups flour and make a well. Crack 3 eggs into the well, add 1 tsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Using a fork, slowly incorporate flour into eggs until a shaggy dough forms. Knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If dough is sticky add a little flour; if dry add a few drops of water.

Rest dough

Wrap dough in plastic and rest at room temperature 30 minutes to relax the gluten.

Roll and fill

Divide dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured surface or using a pasta machine, roll each piece into thin sheets about 1/16" thick. Cut sheets into roughly 3x3" squares or use a round cutter. Place 1–1.5 tsp of shredded birria filling in the center of half the squares. Brush edges lightly with water, top with another sheet/square and press to seal, removing air pockets. Crimp edges with fork if desired. Make about 24–30 ravioli depending on size.

Cook ravioli

Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook ravioli in batches 2–3 minutes after they float or until al dente. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer briefly to a tray with a light drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking while finishing.

Prepare base

Take 4 cups of the reserved strained birria cooking liquid and bring to a gentle simmer in a saucepan. Skim any excess fat from the surface if necessary.

Enrich and thicken

Whisk in 1 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup heavy cream. For slight thickening, dissolve 1 tsp cornstarch in 1 tsp water to make a slurry and whisk into the simmering broth. Simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and adjust to taste. Keep warm on very low heat.

Reduce and mount

In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup red wine and 1/2 cup beef demi-glace. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce until slightly thickened, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 tbsp cold butter to give shine and body. Taste and season with 1/4 tsp salt if needed. Keep warm.

Plate ravioli

Spoon 1/4–1/3 cup of the warm creamy birria broth into shallow bowls. Arrange 4–6 ravioli per bowl on top of the broth.

Finish with demi-glaze

Drizzle 1–2 tsp of the demi-glaze over the ravioli in an artistic pattern to add richness and a glossy finish.

Garnish

Sprinkle shaved Parmesan over the ravioli, add a small handful of microgreens, and dot with a little olive oil. Finish with a few flakes of sea salt and optional chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with extra consommé on the side for dipping.