If you like to make pasta from scratch, there is nothing more satisfying or impressive than creating your own homemade ravioli. In this recipe, tender pasta envelopes an herby three-cheese filling, which becomes smooth and creamy once cooked.
To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor and mix for 15 seconds to combine.
In a small separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, crack the eggs. With the food processor running, add the eggs one at a time, allowing each one to incorporate fully before adding the next. Once the last egg is in, continue processing until the mixture comes together in a large clump with just a few loose bits.
Transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Knead by hand for about 2 minutes to incorporate any loose bits and form a smooth dough. Form the dough into a disk about 1" thick and wrap tightly with plastic or your favorite reusable wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight in the refrigerator. (If the dough is refrigerated, it will need to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before moving on to the next step.) Meanwhile, make the filling.
To make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine all the filling ingredients. Cover and set aside at room temperature.
To assemble the ravioli: Line a baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle lightly with flour. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces (about 190g each). Return 1 piece to the plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out while working with the remaining piece.
Roll the dough through a pasta machine on the largest setting once. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter (this helps it become a rectangular shape initially) before rolling it a second time on the largest setting.
Adjust the pasta machine to the next increment and pass the dough through. Continue adjusting the setting and rolling the dough through the machine until you’ve used setting #8 on a standard pasta roller (0.6 mm thick).
Dust the work surface with flour to prevent sticking. Use a bench knife to trim the sheet of pasta so that it measures 4 3/4" wide and has clean edges. Save the trimmed dough pieces to incorporate into the reserved dough later.
Starting on the left-hand side, portion 1 tablespoon of filling 1/2" from the left edge and 1/2" from the bottom edge of the pasta sheet. (The top half will eventually be folded horizontally over the bottom half of the pasta sheet so the mounds of filling should be in the bottom half of the dough.) Continue adding 1-tablespoon portions of the filling at 1" intervals down the length of the pasta sheet until you’ve reached the end of the pasta sheet on the right side; you’ll be able to fit about 14 to 15 portions of filling on one pasta sheet. (Be sure to leave at least a 1/2" of pasta uncovered with filling after the last mound of filling; trim and save any excess dough, if necessary.)
Brush a thin layer of cool tap water on the pasta sheet along the 1/2" bottom edge and on either side of each of the scooped filling mounds.
Fold the top of the pasta sheet over to cover the filling mounds, matching the top edge with the bottom edge. Starting in the center of the pasta sheet and moving outward in both directions, press out any air pockets between the filling mounds and lightly seal the pasta to encase the filling.
Use a fluted pastry wheel or knife to trim the bottom edge and ends of the pasta sheet; then slice between the filling mounds to create individual ravioli. Move the pieces to the prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel.
Repeat with the remaining dough (incorporate accumulated trim from the first round) and filling.
To cook the pasta right away, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add a portion of ravioli to the water, ensuring they can all cook without overlapping. Boil for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping individual ravioli every couple of minutes to promote even cooking. Drain the ravioli and serve immediately with your sauce of choice.
Storage information: Freeze uncooked ravioli on the flour-lined baking sheet until solid; then transfer to a zip-top bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks and boil directly from frozen. Frozen ravioli may require a couple extra minutes of cooking time. Leftover cooked pasta can be stored in the refrigerator with sauce, covered, for up to 2 days.
Use your favorite combination of fresh herbs in the ravioli filling. We love equal parts chives, dill, and thyme. If using dried herbs, start with 1 total tablespoon and increase from there based on personal taste.
Want to make this recipe with Pasta Flour Blend? Swap it in 1:1 by volume for the All-Purpose Flour in the dough and filling and add 1 tablespoon of cool water along with the eggs. The dough may not extend to the full 4 3/4" width during rolling (remaining closer to 4 1/4"). Prepare the recipe as otherwise written.
No food processor? This dough can be made by hand on a clean work surface as shown in this blog post: How to make homemade pasta.
No pasta machine? You can still make great pasta, though it will be a more labor-intensive process. Follow the steps above using a rolling pin instead of a pasta machine, gradually working the pasta from thick to thin and incorporating letter folds regularly. Make sure the dough is of an even thickness each time you make a fold. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes if it starts to snap back.
