Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli With Sage Butter* Recipe

Make the dough

On a clean work surface, mound the flours and make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well, add the olive oil and salt. Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs while gradually incorporating flour from the inner walls until a shaggy dough forms. When the dough is cohesive, knead by hand for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. If too dry, wet hands and continue; if too sticky, dust with a little flour. Form into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

After resting, divide the dough into 4 pieces. Keep pieces covered to prevent drying while you roll each sheet thin enough for ravioli (about 1–1.5 mm). Use a pasta machine on progressively thinner settings or roll with a rolling pin. Lay sheets on lightly floured surface.

Prepare the spinach

Trim and rinse fresh spinach. Blanch in a large pot of boiling salted water for 30–45 seconds until wilted. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and squeeze very dry in a clean towel or press in a sieve; you should have minimal moisture. Roughly chop the spinach.

Combine filling

In a bowl, combine well-drained chopped spinach, ricotta, grated Parmesan, egg yolk, grated nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix until uniform. Taste and adjust seasoning. The filling should be soft but not watery; if too loose, add a tablespoon of additional Parmesan or chill to firm up for 15–20 minutes.

Shape ravioli

Lay one pasta sheet on a lightly floured surface. Place teaspoon-sized mounds of filling about 1.5–2 inches apart in rows. Brush a thin line of water or lightly beaten egg around the mounds and between them to help seal. Lay a second sheet over the top, pressing gently around each mound to push out air and seal edges. Use a fluted pastry wheel or knife to cut between mounds into individual ravioli. Press edges with a fork to ensure seal. Transfer finished ravioli to a lightly floured tray and chill briefly while you finish remaining sheets. Keep covered so they don’t dry out.

Cook ravioli

Bring the 4 L water to a rolling boil with 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Gently lower ravioli (in batches if needed) into boiling water. Cook fresh ravioli 3–4 minutes, until al dente and they float. Use a slotted spoon to transfer ravioli directly to the sage butter pan, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Make sage butter

While ravioli cooks, melt the unsalted butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook until butter foams and begins to turn a pale golden color and smell nutty — 2–3 minutes. Add the sage leaves and fry gently for 45–60 seconds until crisp and aromatic, turning them so they brown lightly but do not burn. Add lemon zest and a pinch of salt and pepper; stir to combine.

Finish dish

Add the cooked ravioli to the sage butter and toss gently to coat. If needed, add up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to loosen the sauce and give it a silky sheen. Taste and adjust seasoning. Divide ravioli among warm plates, spooning butter and crisp sage over top. Sprinkle with the finishing Parmesan and a grind of black pepper.