Ravioli di Ricotta e
Spinaci
Tuscan-style ricotta & spinach filled pasta
Soft egg-pasta squares enclose ricotta, spinach and a little nutmeg, with butter and sage in this Tuscan-style preparation.
Ricotta-spinach ravioli, butter & sageRicotta and spinach,
a Tuscan filled-pasta favorite.
Ravioli di ricotta e spinaci are filled pasta with a mild cheese-and-greens center. Thin egg dough surrounds drained ricotta and finely chopped spinach, often with nutmeg. The filling should be soft and cohesive, without liquid soaking through the pasta.
This combination is found in several Italian regions. It has a well-documented place on Tuscan menus, where larger examples are often called tortelli and the Maremma has its own generous versions. The home recipe makes medium squares with butter and sage.
Explore by food: Pasta · Vegetables & cheese
Let’s make ravioli di ricotta e spinaci.
Four generous first-course portions, about 36–40 medium ravioli. Make the egg pasta and ricotta-spinach filling from scratch, then dress with butter and sage.
About 36–40 ravioli, 6 cm square, for four generous first courses; use drained ricotta weighed after draining.
What you’ll need
Pasta
- 300 gtype 00 flour, plus 30 g for rolling and trays
- 3 largeeggs, about 150 g without shells
- up to 15 mlwater, only if needed
Filling
- 350 gfresh spinach, washed
- 300 gfirm ricotta, already drained
- 30 gParmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
- ⅛ tspground nutmeg
- to tastefine salt and black pepper
Cooking and dressing
- 60 gunsalted butter
- 8sage leaves
- 5 lwater, divided: 1 l for spinach and 4 l for pasta
- 25 gcoarse salt, for pasta water
The 45-minute rest allowance includes dough rest and spinach cooling. The timer starts with firm, drained ricotta; if yours is wet, drain it in a sieve in the refrigerator before starting. Rolling speed and dough thickness can extend the schedule.
How to make it
- 01
Knead and rest
Mix 300 g flour with eggs. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and firm, adding measured water a teaspoon at a time only if dry crumbs will not join. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
- 02
Cook and cool spinach
Bring 1 l water to a boil. Cook spinach for 3–5 minutes until wilted and tender. Drain, spread in a shallow dish and cool for 15 minutes. Squeeze very dry in a clean towel and chop finely. Mix with drained ricotta, cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Keep filling refrigerated while rolling.
- 03
Roll and seal
Roll dough in small portions to about 1 mm thick, keeping unused dough covered. Place 2 tsp filling at 6 cm intervals on half the sheets. Cover with another sheet, press closely around the filling to exclude air and seal. Cut into 6 cm squares with a pastry wheel, leaving a sealed border around every mound. Put apart on lightly floured trays. Reroll scraps once; allow 45–50 minutes to roll and fill.
- 04
Cook gently
Bring remaining 4 l water to a boil and add coarse salt. Simmer ravioli gently in two batches for about 4–6 minutes, until the sealed edges are tender; cut one to check. Reserve 150 ml pasta water.
- 05
Coat in sage butter
Melt butter with sage over low heat in a wide pan for 2 minutes without browning. Lift ravioli into it and add 2–3 tbsp reserved water. Turn gently to coat, adding a little more water if needed. Serve immediately.
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