Spinach Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce

Posted by blubird607 on October 12, 2010 · 6 Comments 

Since making my first fresh pasta in Rome I’ve been wanting to make fresh ravioli (not mention the fact that I haven’t had ravioli in a while…). I invited over Miss Em and we worked out our girly aggression on rolling out this hefty pasta dough by hand (still no pasta machine – but my birthday’s Saturday *wink*).

Read on for the recipe and photos…

This makes quite a bit of ravioli, so invite big crowd over or be ready for leftovers!

Fresh Pasta
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup Semolina
½ tsp salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten with 1 tsp olive oil

• Combine flour, semolina and salt. Form your bowl on a marble or wood surface.
• Gradually pour in the egg mixture and whisk with a fork until bubbles form.
• Start adding flour until you have very few walls left and start cutting the ingredients into a dough ball with a pastry knife.
• Knead a few times.
• Wrap and keep refrigerated until filling is made.

Ravioli Filling
10 oz. of spinach, washed and stemmed (I used baby spinach – it probably doesn’t need to be stemmed)
1 lb. whole milk ricotta
3 oz. of mascarpone (we substituted some with some cream cheese)
1 large egg
3 ounces of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Pinch of nutmeg

• Cook the spinach in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 30 seconds.
• Drain thoroughly. Set aside to cool.
• Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach (try it a couple times – you’ll be surprised how much water it holds!), and finely chop.
• In a medium bowl, combine the cheeses, the egg, and the nutmeg.
• Fold in the spinach. Season with salt to taste.

Putting the ravioli together

• Cut the pasta dough into 4 parts.
• With a pasta machine or rolling pin, roll out the pasta dough as thin as possible. If you’re doing it by hand, be prepared to have sore arms tomorrow…
• Cut the dough into 4 sheets, measuring 6 inches by 18 inches.
• Using a small spoon, place a dollop in a vertical row up the right hand side of the pasta sheet.
• Brush around the filling with water.
• Fold the pasta sheet over as if closing the book. Push the extra air out and seal the pasta.
• Using a ravioli stamp or a crimped ravioli cutter, form your ravioli. (We made some plate sized ones by following the original recipe’s proportions – oops!)
• Place ravioli on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, which has been floured generously.
• Sprinkle the ravioli with flour and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Sage Butter Sauce

3 tbsp shallots, minced
1/2 cup dry, white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp butter
2 tsp minced fresh sage
Salt & Pepper to taste

• Sauté shallots in 2 tablespoons of butter, about 3-5 minutes.
• Add white wine, heavy cream, chicken stock and lemon juice. Simmer until sauce is reduced by half.
• Gently whisk in remaining butter, one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. Add butter only when the previous addition has completely melted.
• Add sage.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling, salted water, about 5 minutes, or until they rise to the surface.
• Drain well.
• Transfer ravioli to a serving bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Pour the sage butter sauce over the ravioli and sprinkle with as much Parmigiano-Reggiano as your little heart desires.

These were delicious! I have to say, though, I want to try the more delicate pasta dough without Semolina incorporated…it will make the ravioli lighter. The sauce would be incredible on some chicken, too.

Filed under Dinner · Tagged with dinner, Homemade, Italian, Pasta, ravioli