“Mom, do you know what you should make for dinner?”
“What, buddy?”
“Cheese ravioli. Do you remember how good those are? With lots of red sauce… no meat.”
Ah, the innocence and determination of a child! Who could resist such a request? After a fleeting moment of nostalgia for those delightful pockets of cheese goodness from my own childhood, I found myself promising to make cheese ravioli. But like many other promises we make in our busy lives, it slipped further down my to-do list.
Fast forward two days later, and my relentless little chef was back at it, eagerly asking, “Did you have time yet? I’m going to write cheese ravioli on your meal plan; then you’ll have to make them.” There it was—I had been called out.
The pressure to create something from scratch is often daunting, especially when living as an expat in a place where convenience foods are few and far between. In Morocco, frozen ravioli isn’t just a grocery aisle away. Though I had many culinary challenges before me, I knew that making fresh cheese ravioli would not only satisfy my son but also recapture the joy of cooking together.
Embracing the Challenge
Most people shy away from making fresh pasta, convinced it’s an arduous task reserved for kitchen pros. But let me assure you, making ravioli is surprisingly straightforward! At its core, ravioli is simply stuffed pasta, and the filling is as easy as mixing a few cheeses.
Ingredients for Homemade Cheese Ravioli
Pasta Dough:
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling)
- 3 large eggs
- A pinch of salt
- A teaspoon of olive oil (optional)
Cheese Filling:
- 1 cup of ricotta cheese
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh herbs (like basil or parsley) for added flavor
Making the Dough
Start by making the pasta dough. On a clean work surface or in a large bowl, mound the flour, create a well in the center, and crack the eggs into this well. Gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs with a fork until a dough forms. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic; feel free to add a touch of olive oil if you’d like!
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes—this allows the gluten to relax, making it easier to roll out.
Crafting the Ravioli
Once the dough has rested, divide it into two pieces. Roll out one piece to your desired thickness using a pasta machine or a rolling pin. Keep the other piece covered to prevent it from drying out.
Using a ravioli cutter or a sharp knife, cut the rolled dough into strips or squares. Place a small dollop of the cheese filling (about a teaspoon) on one strip, then wet the edges of the dough with a little water to help seal it. Place another strip of dough over the filling and press down firmly on the edges to seal, ensuring there are no air pockets.
Continue this process until all the filling is used. Once formed, you can place the ravioli on a floured baking sheet and let them dry slightly while you prepare the sauce.
The Perfect Marinara Sauce
I’ve always loved my ravioli with a simple marinara sauce, which adds vibrant flavor and complements the cheese filling perfectly.
Easy Marinara Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Fresh basil leaves, freshly chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onion, and sauté until soft. Stir in the garlic, then add the crushed tomatoes and oregano. Simmer for about 20 minutes, adding salt, pepper, and fresh basil at the end.
Cooking the Ravioli
Cooking your homemade ravioli is a simple step! Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the ravioli in batches and cook for about 5-6 minutes for fresh ravioli (or 8-10 minutes if frozen). Once they float to the surface, they are ready to be gently removed with a slotted spoon.
Freezing for Later
One trick I’ve learned is to make a double batch while I’m already in the kitchen—this recipe yields about 2-3 dozen ravioli! They freeze beautifully, a lifesaver for those busy nights when you want a homemade meal without the effort. Just remember to space them out on a baking sheet before freezing so they don’t stick together.
Essential Tools to Make Life Easier
If you plan to dive into the world of homemade pasta, a few tools can make your life a lot easier:
- Pasta machine: This tool helps to achieve the perfect thinness, essential for tender ravioli.
- Ravioli cutter: An essential for achieving uniform shapes.
- Silicone pastry mat: This provides a clean, non-stick surface that can be easily washed.
Enjoying the Meal
After all the effort put in, serving these cheese ravioli along with your homemade marinara sauce will be undoubtedly rewarding. Whether you enjoy them with a simple side salad or on their own, the happiness on your family’s faces will be worth every minute spent in the kitchen.
So, are you ready to embrace the challenge and make homemade cheese ravioli? Dive in, and happy pasta making!
How to Make Homemade Cheese Raviolis
Check out my easy-to-follow recipe on how to make homemade cheese raviolis.
Homemade Cheese Ravioli
Cheese ravioli were my favorite food (and still are) from the time I was very young. I learned how to make them with my grandma and now make them for my kids.
Ingredients
- Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup semolina flour
- 4 eggs
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- water
- extra flour for dusting
- Cheese Stuffing
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzerella cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp grated garlic
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- 2 eggs
- palmful of fresh chopped Italian parsley and/or basil
- piping bag or plastic bag (optional)
Instructions
Pasta
- In a large bowl add flour, semolina flour and salt. Mix together and create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
- Crack the eggs into the middle and add olive oil.
- Use your hands to mix together the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. You can do this in a stand mixer of food processor but hands work just as well!
- Continue mixing until the dry and wet ingredients come together into a soft, pliable ball. You may need to add a little water if it's too dry, or a little flour if it's too wet.
- Once the dough comes together, cover with a towel and set aside to rest while you prepare the filling. I rest my dough at least 30 minutes.
Filling
- Mix all of the filing ingredients together in a bowl.
- You can add more garlic if you like, or add different herbs. Sometimes I will add in cooked pureed spinach but I like the 3 cheese mix because it's the way these have always been made in my family.
- Refrigerate the filling until ready to use.
Assembly
- If you have a pasta machine this will be a lot faster and easier.
- Divide the dough into equal parts about the size of large apple. Start with a wider setting on your pasta machine to flatten it, adjusting each pass until you have a sheet of dough that is nearly see through.
- If you don't have a machine you can use a rolling pin.
- Place a piece of parchment on your work surface and dust with flour. Dust the top of the dough with flour as well and put another piece of parchment on top.
- Roll out until it too is nearly see through.
- Get your prepared filling and transfer to a piping bag or plastic bag that you can cut an end off so that it works like a piping bag. This is by far the easiest way to fill ravioli. You can also use a spoon to fill.
There are a few different ways to seal the ravioli.
Option 1: Use a round biscuit cutter or circle cookie cutter to cut out rounds of dough. Place filling in the center, it should fill up about half of the circle. Fold one side over and crimp the edges.
Option 2: Keep your flat pieces of dough on your work surface. In the bottom half add filling, spaced about 2-3 finger widths apart. Fold the top over the cheese filling to line up the edges. Use a pastry cutter to cut the edges and form square ravioli.
Place sealed ravioli on a lined cookie sheet dusted with flour. You can freeze ravioli on the cookie sheet at this point. I put them directly in the freezer for a few hours until hard and then transfer to a freezer safe bag.
To cook immediately, bring salted water to a boil and drop in desired number of ravioli. When they float, they're done (approximately 5-8 minutes).
Notes
I like to make as many as possible to start with. You can set aside the scraps after cutting out the circles for another rest while you continue rolling dough. Roll them all together to use as much of the dough as possible. If you notice it getting too tough, set aside.
Want more? Check out these easy Arabic recipes in English.