Culinary Class

How To Make Fresh Ravioli

By: Tate Jacaruso

Copy to clipboard

A Bentonville chef walks you step by step toward a plate full of pasta

Fresh pasta is surprisingly simple to make, calling for eggs, flour, and water—but quality counts. “You’ve got to start out with the best ingredients available to you,” says Soerke Peters, owner and chef at Mezzaluna in Bentonville, Arkansas. “Having 00 flour is very, very important—and good eggs, and that’s all you need.” The restaurant uses 00 flour from Italy, which is a high-quality, finely ground durum wheat flour, and organic eggs from Heritage Farms.

These ingredients shine in Peters’ saffron ravioli, which includes asparagus, peas, and pea tendrils from the local farmers market. “Usually starting in mid-March or the beginning of April, you get fresh green asparagus in season, which is when it tastes the best,” says Peters. “And fresh English peas, one of my favorites as well.” Presentation matters, too. Peters adds saffron to the water when making the pasta dough. “It has a vibrant yellow color and looks beautiful with the green peas. Very mild taste, not overpowering as some may think.” The saffron ravioli is available to Mezzaluna diners in the spring, but Peters has shared his technique for making this fresh pasta at home.

Saffron Ravioli

yields

Serves 4-6

For the dough

Pinch of saffron
4 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting
¾ cup egg yolks
1 whole egg for egg wash

For the filling

1 bunch asparagus
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1½ cups fresh ricotta

For the sauce:

1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter cut into 1-inch cubes
½ cup dry white wine
1½ cup shelled and blanched English peas
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano for garnish
Pea tendrils for garnish

Special equipment

Wood cutting board and rolling pin, or Kitchen Aid with a dough hook and roller attachment; ravioli cutter; pastry brush; pastry bag (optional)

steps

Knead the dough

In a pot, bring ¼ cup water to a low simmer and add a pinch of saffron to it. Turn off heat and let sit for 30 minutes.
If kneading by hand, form a mound of flour not more than 5 inches in diameter on a wood cutting board. Make a well in the center. Add egg yolk and saffron water to well, mixing into flour a bit at a time, using a fork in the beginning so your hands don’t get too sticky. Once it comes together, keep kneading by folding it over until smooth. If using a Kitchen Aid, mix flour, yolk, and saffron water on the lowest setting for at least 10 minutes.
Shape dough into a round loaf, put it in a bowl, and cover with a plate or plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. Let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Make the filling

Finely chop asparagus. Add oil to a cold sauté pan and heat over medium. Once it comes up to temperature, add shallots and sweat over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add asparagus, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat until soft. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate until chilled.
Add cold vegetables to a food processor and pulse for 5 to 10 seconds until a fine paste forms. Transfer paste to a bowl and stir in ricotta, mixing thoroughly. Taste, add salt as needed, and refrigerate.

Cut the ravioli

With a rolling pin or Kitchen Aid roller attachment, roll dough out into a thin sheet.
Cut sheet in half. Mix remaining egg with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Use a pastry brush to apply egg wash to one sheet of dough. Using your preferred ravioli cutter, gently press on egg-washed sheet so you can see an outline where each ravioli will be, with about ¼ inch between each one.
Using a pastry bag or teaspoon, dollop 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each marked shape. Place the other half of the sheet (make sure it has the same dimensions) over the first half. Gently press the sheets together, pressing out any air bubbles. Cut out the ravioli with the cutter. Place them on a sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready for use.

Make the sauce

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then desired amount of ravioli. Cook until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes, or to your preferred texture.
In a large pan over medium heat, add half of the butter, keeping the rest cold. Let it melt and add white wine. Bring to a boil and add peas, salt, and pepper. Add remaining butter and cook, stirring, until it becomes thick. If it separates, add pasta water.
Add ravioli to pan and toss gently. Once it has the desired consistency, start plating. Add Parmigiano Reggiano and garnish with pea tendrils.