Ravioli is one of my favorite dishes – mushroom ravioli, to be more specific. But, since I don’t eat cheese, it’s impossible to find a pre-packaged ravioli to make for dinner. So, when my husband – the chef in our house – was looking for something new to try, homemade ravioli was at the top of the list. Check out all of the other recipes we’ve posted, too.
Homemade Ravioli
It really isn’t hard to make this (easy for me to say since I wasn’t the one cooking!). You make a simple dough, roll it out, cook your fillings, and then fill the dough. Easy, right??
We made two different raviolis – mushroom for me, and spinach and ricotta for my husband and daughter. They were SO good. Our daughter devoured them, so these will be a regular addition to our meal rotation. The plus side? Once you get them made, they only take a couple of minutes – literally – to cook since the pasta isn’t dried. And, you can make them ahead on a Sunday afternoon and freeze them to eat during the week!
The first step to making ravioli is to make the dough. In a large bowl mix together 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of water, 2.5 teaspoons of olive oil, and a large pinch of salt. Mix it well until a ball is formed. You may need a bit more flour if it’s too sticky or a a small amount of water if it’s too dry. Just add VERY small amounts at a time. Move it to surface and knead about five minutes.
Wrap it in cling wrap and let it rest at least 30 minutes.
While the dough is resting, you can make your filling. Both fillings were easy to make. Sautee the mushrooms and then chop them up. Next time, we will add onions to give it more flavor. You will also cook down the spinach. Keep adding more spinach as it cooks down because it really cooks down to nothing!
Once the spinach is done, chop it and then mix it with your ricotta to make a creamy filling.
Now, it’s time to roll out the dough. The good news is you don’t need a pasta roller. A good rolling pin and elbow grease will get it done. Cut the dough into two equal halves. Sprinkle flour on the table and then on the top of the dough. Roll the first half out into a long rectangle.
The key is to get it thin. When you think it’s thin enough, keep rolling. And then roll it some more. Next, roll out the second sheet to approximately the same length. Pick one to be the bottom and set the other dough aside.
When your dough is rolled out into a rectangle (or as close as you can get), it’s time to add your filling. Use a spoon to put small dollops of filling along your dough. You’ll want to make these small, so you can fit quite a few.
Next, you want to brush water on the dough so that the top and bottom will stick together more easily.
After all your filling is laid out, take the second dough and lay it on top.
Once your dough is on top, it’s time to start forming your raviolis. Use your hands to cup the filling spots. Make sure you push the air bubbles out. Otherwise, your dough will tear.
Your next step is to cut the ravioli out. You can use a knife or pizza cutter, and cut them into square shapes. Remove any extra dough.
It’s now time to crimp the raviolis! And, we’re almost done! Take a fork and crimp the edges of all your raviolis.
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and put your raviolis in. ONLY cook them until they start floating (about 3-4 minutes) because otherwise you will overcook them and they will become gummy.
That’s it! Eat as-is or add your favorite pasta sauce. Next time we make these, we’re going to toss them in a cast iron pan with some garlic and basil to make them a little crisper. If you make this recipe, come back and let us know how you liked it!
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