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Ravioli with cheese and spinach

Cheese and Spinach Ravioli

A traditional dish from Italy's Emilia-Romagna region. These ravioli turn out wonderfully tasty and tender, and the sauce rounds out their flavor beautifully. If you're short on time for the sauce, you can simply toss them in melted butter instead. Even though the prep takes a while, shaping the ravioli themselves goes quickly. Give it a try — I hope you love it :)

Irisha

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Wheat flour

170

Eggs (medium)

Olive oil

Salt (a pinch)

Ricotta

200

Spinach

100

Parmesan (2 heaping tsp, grated)

Butter

Salt

Ground hot pepper

Olive oil

Ground hot pepper

Tomatoes (large)

Sugar

Garlic (2 cloves, or omit entirely)

Herb blend (dried basil, oregano)

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 23 % 8 g

Fats 34 % 12 g

Carbohydrates 43 % 15 g

203 kcal

GI: 13 / 0 / 87

Cooking method

Step 1:

Make the dough. I used a food processor, but you can knead it by hand — it just takes a bit longer. Add the sifted flour and a pinch of salt to the processor bowl, then run it as you add the eggs one at a time along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Step 2:

You want a moist, crumbly texture. Turn it out onto a floured surface and gather it into a ball.
Step 3:

Knead the dough well — it's fairly stiff, so a strong pair of hands helps. If it resists, knead for 2–3 minutes, then wrap it in plastic and let it rest 10 minutes; it will relax and become much easier to work.
Step 4:

Meanwhile, make the filling. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the spinach with a tablespoon of water, cover, and steam for 3–4 minutes.
Step 5:

Squeeze the cooked spinach to remove excess moisture (careful, it's hot), chop it, and let it cool.
Step 6:

In a bowl, mix the ricotta, grated Parmesan, and chopped spinach, then season with salt and pepper to taste. The filling is ready.
Step 7:

Back to the dough: after resting, knead it until smooth. Wrap it again and let it rest another 10 minutes.
Step 8:

While the dough rests, make the sauce. Peel and seed the tomatoes and cut them into small dice.
Step 9:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet, add the diced tomatoes, and simmer until thickened and the excess moisture has cooked off.
Step 10:

Season the sauce with salt, sugar, and pepper to taste; if you like, add a minced garlic clove plus dried basil and oregano.
Step 11:

With the dough, filling, and sauce ready, start shaping the ravioli. Roll the dough out very thin (about 1 mm), dusting the surface generously with flour.
Step 12:

Divide the rolled sheet in two. Place mounds of filling on one half (rolling it into small balls first makes this easier).
Step 13:

Brush water around each mound of filling with a pastry brush to help the dough seal.
Step 14:

Lay the second sheet of dough on top, press firmly around each mound to seal, and cut out the ravioli.
Step 15:

Boil the ravioli right away in plenty of salted water — they cook fast, about 5 minutes, so don't overcook them. Serve with the sauce and grated Parmesan. Enjoy!

Make the dough. I kneaded mine in a food processor, but you can do it by hand — it just takes a little longer. Add the sifted flour and a pinch of salt to the processor bowl, run it, and add the eggs one at a time along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. You should get a moist crumb. Turn it out onto a floured surface, gather it into a ball, and knead well. A strong pair of hands really helps, since the dough is quite stiff. If you're on your own, knead for 2–3 minutes, then wrap it in plastic and let it rest about 10 minutes; it will relax and be much easier to knead. Meanwhile, make the filling: melt the butter in a skillet, add the spinach with a tablespoon of water, cover, and steam for 3–4 minutes. Squeeze the cooked spinach to remove excess moisture (carefully — it's hot), chop it, and let it cool. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, grated Parmesan, and chopped spinach, then season with salt and pepper to taste. The filling is ready. Back to the dough: after resting, knead it until smooth, wrap it again, and rest another 10 minutes. While it rests, make the sauce: peel and seed the tomatoes and cut them into small dice. Heat olive oil in a skillet, add the tomatoes, and simmer until thickened and the excess moisture has evaporated. Finish with salt, sugar, and pepper to taste, plus an optional minced garlic clove and some dried basil and oregano. With the dough, filling, and sauce ready, shape the ravioli: roll the dough out very, very thin (about 1 mm), dusting the surface generously with flour. Divide the sheet in two. Place filling on one half (rolling it into small balls first helps). Brush water around each mound with a pastry brush so the dough seals more easily, lay the second sheet on top, press firmly so the two layers stick, and cut out the ravioli. Boil them right away in plenty of salted water — they cook quickly, about 5 minutes, so watch them so they don't overcook. Serve with the sauce and grated Parmesan. Enjoy!