Ravioli is one of the most popular types of stuffed pasta from Italy and there are 3 main fillings you can go for: meat, cheese or vegetables, which we are going to teach you how to make today!
So, if you are a meat lover, cheese lover or a vegetarian, there is a Ravioli recipe for you. Any of these Ravioli can be typically served with a cream-based pasta sauce or a delicious tomato sauce. There is something for everyone!
This is the ultimate guide for making a Ravioli filling recipe from scratch to go with fresh homemade ravioli. We’ve got you covered with three different kind of fillings and step by step directions. Let’s begin!
Table of Contents
Recipe Tools
Before you start with any of these three recipes you’ll need three main tools:
1. Ravioli/Pasta Wheels – This will help you with the size and shape, this crimped edge, small wheel use to cut hand filled ravioli.
2. Pasta Stamps/Cutters – This comes in different sizes and shapes. Common shapes are circle and square. Stamp this over the filled pasta and cut out the ravioli.
3. Pasta Maker – This will save you time in making your dough that you will use to make Ravioli.
To make the Ravioli: follow our guide which is coming soon! Without further ado lets check out how to make your ravioli fillings.
Meat Ravioli Filling Recipe
Okay, meat lovers! Here’s the recipe for you! Choose your meat filling. Do you want a chicken, turkey, veal or ground pork? If you are more on for the adventure and don’t want to choose, you can combine all of them.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound chicken, turkey, veal or ground pork (or a mixture of all four)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Egg wash (1 large egg mixed with water)
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 small onion, minced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 ounce prosciutto (finely chopped)
- 1 ounce mortadella (finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- In a skillet, pour some oil and melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic and ground meat and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stir and break up lumps, until the meat turns brown and the onion is softened.
- Pour the wine and cook for 4 minutes over moderately-high heat until evaporated.
- Into the food processor, put all the mixture and pulse until all are finely chopped. Cool the filling in a bowl.
- Stir in the prosciutto, mortadella, Parmigiano, nutmeg and beaten egg and season with salt and pepper.
- Take your dough and cut into ravioli shapes with your stamp or cutter. Place a small amount of filling in the center and seal the edges with egg wash.
Cheesy Ravioli Filling Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup shredded provolone cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (8 ounce) container ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
Instructions
Have the dough ready and made before you start preparing the Cheesy Ravioli filling.
- Mix provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, egg, and parsley until well combined. Set aside.
- Set the heat to moderate and heat 2tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Add crushed garlic and pesto sauce and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and stir in heavy cream, bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Remove the pan and keep warm.
- Make the egg wash by beating the egg into the water. This will be used to seal the ravioli.
- Create pasta sheets, just less than the thickness of a coin. Once done, brush the egg white in a pasta sheet, add the cheese filling (1tsp), an inch apart. Cover the filling with a sheet of pasta, then press around with your fingers to each point of the Ravioli filling to seal it. Cut each ravioli with a pizza cutter and seal the edges with your fingers.
- Boil Ravioli for 4-8 minutes into salted water until it floats. Drain and toss in a greased baking sheet. Bake for 4 minutes or until brown.
- Serve and enjoy!
Vegetarian Ravioli Filling Recipe
For vegetarians here is the recipe for you. This recipe is full of essential nutrients and yes, it includes carbohydrate and protein, with the beans in the ingredient. Since white beans is very creamy, it is perfect for pasta while sun-dried tomatoes balance the creaminess.
This recipe uses White Beans and Sun-dried Tomatoes – but feel free to replace it with any (reasonably similar) vegetable that takes your fancy!
Ingredients
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (minced)
- 1 can cannellini or white beans (drained and rinsed)
- ¼ cup of fresh basil (minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp. olive oil (divided)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 tbsp. butter
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flake, plus more for topping as desired
Instructions
Have the dough ready and made before you start preparing the Veggie Ravioli filling.
- Saute minced garlic in 1 tbsp of olive oil over a medium-high heat until fragrant.
- Add the beans and the sun-dried tomatoes, and saute for more 3-4 minutes, and then season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Mash beans a little to combine them together. Let it cool a little then mix it with the fresh basil.
Assembling the Ravioli - Create pasta sheets, just less than the thickness of a coin. Once done, brush the egg white in a pasta sheet, add the filling (1tsp), an inch apart.
- Cover with another sheet, press out the air and tightly seal it. Cut the pasta sheet into into single ravioli using a pizza cutter or a knife. Make sure that the edges are well-sealed.
- Boil Ravioli for 4-5 minutes into salted water until it floats. Drain and toss in a greased baking sheet. Bake for 4 minutes or until brown.
- Serve and enjoy!
Tips
- The filling should not be too wet. It should be in a paste-like consistency.
- The filling should not be also too rough for it will create a hole in your pasta sheet and create disaster when you boil it. Make sure the all filling mixture are well blended.
There you have your 3 kinds of fillings! Homemade Fresh Ravioli is delicious and is so much fun to make. So when you make both your own pasta and fresh filling at home, it is absolutely worth it.
If you have any questions about making your own pasta, or want to share your experiences and top tips, feel free to leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you!
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