It’s almost always a win-win situation when you make your own ravioli. It not only tastes great, but you get the extra benefit of looking like a pro chef to your guests or family members. Even if you’re only cooking for yourself, the fresh pasta flavor still makes the entire experience worthwhile.
Making fresh ravioli from scratch may appear intimidating at first. Still, if you follow the instructions that this article will provide, we guarantee a smooth sail and amazing results that your taste buds will love. Also, watch out for helpful tips and notes on ideal cooking time.
Fresh Ravioli Nutrition Facts
Tips for Cooking Fresh Ravioli
First of all, make the filling – After you’ve obtained the recipe of your choice, you shouldn’t just start preparing it at random. Make the aforementioned filling first, as it will need to chill for a while (around 30 minutes, depending on the type), and there’s no use in wasting time.
Don’t hesitate to go overboard – Don’t be afraid to over-season your filling if you want a delicious ravioli. Because the flavor will be slightly diluted by the spaghetti outside, you can go a bit crazy (but not too crazy) when preparing the inside piece. If you’re worried about eating raw or undercooked eggs or meat while sampling, zap a little amount in the microwave or cook it in a nonstick skillet first
Brown your meat, if used for the filling – Although some pasta purists recommend not cooking meat that will be used as a filling, most chefs recommend lightly browning it to ensure the meat is cooked to perfection and to reduce the danger of disease associated with undercooked meat. If the meat is very oily after browning, drain some of it, but not too much, as you don’t want to lose all flavors.
Let your dough sit for a while – Although most recipes instruct you to begin rolling out the dough as soon as you finish mixing the flour, eggs, salt, and water, many chefs advise against it. Allowing the dough to lie for at least 30 minutes, whether refrigerated or unrefrigerated, before rolling it out should make it simpler to handle. If you’re short on time, keep in mind that this tip is more personal preference than a big deal.
Use a bottle if you don’t have a rolling pin – You’ll need to flatten the dough with a rolling pin after fully kneading it for five to ten minutes. What if you don’t have a rolling pin? There’s no need to be concerned. A full, unopened bottle of wine can be used for a pin in a pinch. Liquor bottles can also be used if the cap is properly tightened and the bottle is normally full.
Cooking Time for Fresh Ravioli
Follow the timing guidelines below to get the best results with your ravioli recipes:
| Cooking procedure | Cooking time |
| Kneading the dough | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Making the sauce | 6 minutes |
| Cooking the ravioli | 4 to 8 minutes |
Homemade Four Cheese Ravioli Recipe (4 Servings)
Ingredients
For the ravioli dough:
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ tablespoon of water
For the ravioli filling:
- 1 (8 ounces) container of ricotta cheese
- 1 softened package of cream cheese (4 ounces)
- ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup of provolone cheese, shredded
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon of dried parsley
For the Pesto-Alfredo cream sauce:
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons of prepared basil pesto sauce
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 (24 ounces) jar of marinara sauce
For the egg wash
- 1 tablespoon of water
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Form a well by combining the flour and salt on a work surface. In a mixing bowl, combine the teaspoon of olive oil, 2 eggs, and water. Half of the egg mixture should be poured into the well. Begin combining the egg and flour with one hand while keeping the flour mound stable with the other. Knead in the remaining egg mixture to make a dough.
- Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, or until smooth; if the dough is too sticky, add additional flour. Wrap the dough in plastic and roll it into a ball. 1 hour in the refrigerator
- While the dough is resting, assemble the ravioli filling.. Mix together the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, egg, and parsley until thoroughly combined. Remove the filling from the pan and set it aside.
- Heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook for one minute after adding the crushed garlic and pesto sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil by adding the heavy cream and increasing the heat to high. Reduce to low heat and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until it has melted. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to keep it warm.
- Meanwhile, prepare the marinara sauce in a separate skillet over medium-low heat.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees C). To make the egg wash, whisk together the egg and a tablespoon of water.
- The pasta dough should be rolled out into thin sheets no thicker than a nickel. Brush a sheet of pasta with the egg wash before assembling the ravioli. Drop teaspoonfuls of the filling mixture onto the dough, about one inch apart. Cover the filling with the top layer of pasta, pushing the air out of each filling part. To seal the filling, press hard around it. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut the ravioli into individual portions. The edges should be sealed afterward.
- Fill a big pot halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat, lightly salted. Return to a boil after adding the ravioli. Cook, uncovered, for 4 to 8 minutes, or until the ravioli float to the top and the filling is heated. Drain thoroughly.
- A baking sheet should be greased. Place the cooked ravioli on a sheet pan and bake until golden brown, about 4 minutes in a preheated oven.
- Divide the ravioli into four warmed serving bowls to serve. Drizzle the marinara sauce over the ravioli, then add the cream sauce on top.
Notes
This ravioli recipe takes an entire duration of 2 hours to make, including a prep time of 45 minutes, a cook time of 15 minutes, and an additional 1 hour. If you’d like more ideas on how to make fresh ravioli for yourself and your family, then check out this video recipe.