Though I’m a huge proponent of my stand mixer and pasta roller attachments, I know many of you don’t have room, time, or inclination to pull the trigger on those purchases just yet. That’s why I’m so happy to have intrepid contributor Rebecca Peters-Golden walk us through her homemade ravioli recipe—which she does without any electrical assistance whatsoever. Yes, from-scratch ravioli are within your reach!
So how did I conquer the beast? Well, wine, of course—and the power of friendship. My lovely friend T and I decided that we were going to crack open a bottle a bottle of Pinot and rid ourselves of our homemade pasta virginity. And you know what? It didn’t hurt a bit. To the contrary, it’s pretty easy, delicious, and is now one of my go-to dishes for even a mid-week pasta craving.
If you have a stand mixer and a pasta roller attachment, this will be a snap for you. But never fear if you don’t—I don’t have either of those things and I still do just fine! Here’s how I conquered ravioli without any help in the gadget department (well, I do use a rolling pin, pastry brush, and pizza cutter):
How to Make Ravioli Without a Pasta Roller
Make and knead a batch of pasta dough following Casey’s recipe and video tutorial using 9 oz. (2 heaping cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, 3 large eggs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
Once you’ve kneaded the dough, let it rest for 15 minutes or so (I just cover mine with a tea towel) while you prepare your station.
Dust your countertop with flour. Cut the ball of dough in half; re-cover one half with the tea towel. Roll out the other half of the dough with your rolling pin (in a pinch, you can even use a water glass). Add flour if it gets sticky and keep rolling until your sheet of pasta is about 1/8-inch thick. The dough will fight you and bounce back, so continue to roll and stretch gently with your hands until the dough is about 8 inches wide and 16 inches long. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Now you’re ready to fill your pasta. Grab your filling (see below for three recipe options) and lay out one of the pasta sheets on the counter. Spoon tablespoons of filling onto the pasta sheet like you’d put cookie dough on a baking sheet, leaving about an inch between mounds. You should be able to fit 16 tablespoons on each sheet in two rows.
With a pastry brush, brush a bit of water in the channels between the mounds of filling and around the outside of the sheet so that your sheets of pasta will stick together. Lay the second sheet of pasta on top, and press down between them to seal the sheets together and eliminate air in the pocket that contains the filling.
Cut the ravioli into rectangles using either a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, and press again to seal completely.
If you want to cook your ravioli immediately, you’re all set—just drop them into boiling salted water! If you want to save them or store leftovers, dust them with a little flour and let them sit for a few minutes (so they won’t stick together) and them lay them in a single layer in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for a few months.
Ravioli Fillings
Really, though, the best part of making your own ravioli is having total control over your fillings. You can take advantage of awesome seasonal ingredients in tons of combinations without having to pay twenty bucks at an Italian restaurant for the ravioli special! Here are three of my favorite fillings, but even plain cheese ravioli with a glug of olive oil and a grind of salt and pepper are scrumptious when they’re homemade!
All three fillings will keep well in the refrigerator for a day or two, so feel free to make them the day before.
Mixed Mushroom and Arugula Ravioli
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Makes enough filling for 16-20 ravioli
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 pound (4 oz.) mushrooms, finely chopped (I like to use a mixture of shiitake and baby portabellas, but use your favorites)
- a large handful of arugula, roughly chopped
- 1/4 pound (4 oz.) ricotta cheese
- 1 4-oz. log goat cheese/chèvre
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Melt the butter or heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Stir in the mushrooms and garlic, then cook without stirring for 3 minutes to brown the mushrooms. Stir again and cook for 2 minutes more to cook through.
Scrape the mushrooms into a medium mixing bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Add the arugula, ricotta, and chèvre to the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Gingery Butternut Squash Ravioli
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Makes enough filling for 16-20 ravioli
Ingredients:
- 1 butternut squash, cut into approximately 1-inch cubes
- 3-5 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 fresh sage leaves, minced
Method:
Preheat the oven to 375˚ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat liner.
In a medium mixing bowl, toss the cubed squash with olive oil to coat, and season with salt and pepper.
Spread the squash evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake until soft and golden (about 30 minutes, during which you can make your pasta dough).
Add the sage and ginger to the mixing bowl. Add the cooked squash and mash to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Pulled Pork Ravioli
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Makes enough filling for 16-20 ravioli
I first decided to try pulled pork ravioli after adding leftover barbecue pulled pork to boxed macaroni and cheese (I love to put pulled pork in everything). The pasta, cheese, and pork were an unexpectedly delicious combination. Of course, your pork doesn’t have to be barbecued, but if you like the flavor combo, you can always make a light barbecue demi-glace.
Ingredients:
- approximately 1 cup of pulled pork
- 1 cup coarsely grated Gruyère or Fontina cheese (the nutty flavor of these cheeses mixes really well with the pork, and they have low melting points)
Method:
Combine pork and cheese in a mixing bowl.
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Am I reading this wrong? Or does it say I use 9 oz of flour or 2 heaping cups? Wouldn’t that be 16oz? Am I missing something??
Alexandria, one cup of all-purpose flour measures 4.25 ounces by weight. 16 ounces of flour would be a whole pound! Take a look at our tutorial on measuring by weight vs. volume for a full explanation of how to correctly measure both wet and dry ingredients!
Love this idea! No one in the house could decide whether they wanted pulled pork or ravioli tonight, so we’re borrowing your idea and making both. Thanks for writing this!!
So I love to cook and probably should have been born Italian….I suddenly had a craving for homemade fried ravioli…this recipe just changed my culinary life….who knew it would be this easy……I make home made rolls bread sticks all the time…..by hand… thank you….i get so creative in the kitchen this will add to my culinary resume (prowess)
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