Stuffed with a bright pink filling of roasted beets and ricotta, these homemade ravioli are served in a luxurious herb and garlic butter sauce. Set aside a few hours and grab a partner to craft these ravioli by hand; it’s a fun and satisfying project for two that makes dreamy, tender pasta pillows.
The recipe as written makes 4 servings, but to make a romantic meal for two, make the ravioli and freeze half before boiling it, then halve the amount of the garlic butter sauce. For the most consistent results, weigh your ingredients especially when making the pasta dough. Nut Roasting Machine
Make ahead: The ravioli can be assembled and frozen, uncooked, for up to 3 months. To freeze, spread on a large sheet pan to flash-freeze for 30 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container to freeze until needed. To serve, boil the ravioli and make the butter sauce.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days; gently reheat on the stovetop until warmed through. Freeze uncooked ravioli for up to 3 months.
Where to buy: Vacuum-sealed cooked and peeled beets can be found at well-stocked supermarkets.
From Sonja and Alex Overhiser of A Couple Cooks blog.
Make the ravioli dough: Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and water until frothy.
Pour the egg mixture into the well in the flour and, using a fork, gradually incorporate the flour from the sides of the well into the egg mixture until all of the flour is moistened. Lightly flour your hands and knead the mixture until a ball of rough dough forms (if needed, add a few drops of water or a sprinkle of flour until a ball can be formed).
Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Turn out the dough onto the surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (If the dough is too sticky, lightly dust with flour; if it is very dry, add a few drops of water to moisten.)
Transfer the dough to a lidded container – such as a bowl with a plate set atop it – and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour (this helps to relax the gluten, making the dough more pliable and easier to roll out).
Make the beet-ricotta filling: Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the ricotta, beets, parmesan, thyme, fine salt, garlic powder and a few grinds of pepper and process for 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and process until completely pureed and smooth, 20 to 30 seconds — take care not to overwhip.
Assemble the ravioli: When the dough is ready, divide it into four equal pieces and place all of them in a lidded container – each should weigh about 100 grams.
If using a pasta machine: Take one piece of dough and flatten it into a small rectangle; keep the other pieces of dough covered. Start with the widest setting (usually setting 1) and send the dough through the rollers two times (no need to fold the dough in between). Gently catch the bottom of the sheet as it goes through, taking care not to pull or stretch the dough. Adjust the thickness setting on the pasta roller to the next narrower setting and send the dough through the rollers twice again. Continue in the same manner, sending the dough through twice per thickness setting, until you have a very thin and translucent sheet (usually the second-to-last setting on the machine). Lightly dust the dough sheet with semolina if it starts to get sticky. Each sheet should be around 22 by 5 inches. When finished, dust both sides of the pasta sheet liberally with semolina flour and fold it in half, then place on a large sheet pan and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough.
If rolling out the pasta sheets by hand: Take one piece of dough and flatten it into a small rectangle; keep the other pieces of dough covered. Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with semolina. Roll out the dough into a translucent 22-by-5-inch rectangle. If the dough starts to stick, lightly dust with semolina flour as you roll. When rolling the dough out by hand, the dough rectangles may be narrow at the edges – this is okay. When finished, dust both sides of the pasta sheet liberally with semolina flour, fold it in half, then place on a large sheet pan. (You could also place the pasta sheets on a clean, dry counter.) Cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with semolina. Set two large sheet pans near your work space.
Place one sheet of pasta on the surface and dust off excess flour (keep the remaining pasta sheets covered). Use a pizza cutter or paring knife to square off the ends of the rectangle (the ends can become narrower than the middle). Fold the sheet in half lengthwise, and then unfold it, to create a center crease. Place a small bowl of water near your workspace.
Arrange the pasta sheet so it is horizontal to you and, using two spoons, add 1/2-tablespoon scoops of the filling to the bottom half of the sheet, starting 1/2 inch from the edge and leaving about 1 inch between each scoop (measure the filling amount the first time, then you can approximate for the subsequent dollops). Make a single row of 8 to 10 dollops total, using the center line as a guide. Use a pastry brush or your finger to lightly brush water onto the upper half to moisten it, then gently fold it over the filling. Use your fingers to gently press down on the top fold to seal the top, then in between each filling to seal the sides, then on the bottom to seal the bottom, removing as much air as possible. Use a fluted pasta cutter, pizza cutter or paring knife to separate the pasta sheet into individual squares. (If desired, cut a thin line off the tops and bottoms with a fluted cutter to have even edges).
Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the filled, sealed ravioli on the sheet pans. (If serving 2 people, transfer half of the ravioli [16] to a small sheet pan and flash-freeze for 30 minutes; then transfer to an airtight bag or container and freeze for another meal.)
Cook the ravioli: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add enough salt so the water is mildly salty. Add 16 ravioli and boil until tender and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spider, carefully transfer to a strainer to drain excess water. Transfer the drained ravioli to a serving platter. Repeat and boil the remaining ravioli. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and discard the rest.
Make the garlic butter sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved pasta water, bring to a lively simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the thyme and cook until thickened and saucy, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and pour the sauce over the ravioli. Sprinkle more thyme, grated parmesan and flaky salt over the ravioli and serve right away.
Per serving (8 ravioli with about 6 tablespoons sauce)
This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.
Liquid Filling Machine From Sonja and Alex Overhiser of A Couple Cooks blog.