Handcrafted Five-Cheese Ravioli with Garlic Brown Butter Sauce

Visualize the pride in crafting your own homemade ravioli!

Don’t let the notion of making pasta from scratch overwhelm you. With the KitchenAid® 3-Piece Pasta Roller and Cutter Set attachment, making your own pasta is effortless. No specialized ravioli maker is needed for this recipe; just your reliable KitchenAid attachment.

Upon reviewing the ingredients needed for the ravioli, you’ll notice you don’t require an extensive list!

Commence by sifting the flour and salt onto your work surface (like a large board), creating a well in the center. Crack a whole egg into the well, then add the egg yolks and oil to the egg. Employ a whisk or fork to blend the eggs and oil within the well. Alternatively, lightly whisk the eggs in a bowl, then gradually add them to the flour.

Incorporate the flour into the egg mixture, eventually kneading the dough for a few minutes by hand. A bench scraper is incredibly useful for handling dough, helping to remove any stuck-on bits from your work surface and for cutting the dough as needed. Be mindful not to let the dough become too moist, as it will moisten as it rests.

After kneading, form the dough into a ball, cover it, and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

Next, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 0.6 centimeters thick. It should fit into the KitchenAid Pasta Roller at its widest setting. Lower the setting with each pass through the attachment. The final pass should result in a nearly translucent sheet of dough. If the dough becomes too long and fragile to handle, simply cut it in half before rolling it again.

Cut the rolled-out dough lengthwise into several 61-centimeter horizontal strips, wide enough to accommodate folding over the cheese filling (approximately 61 x 10 centimeters). In the Midwest, this fold is often referred to as a “hot-dog style” fold.

Spread about 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) of the cheese mixture onto each strip of dough. Lightly spray water on each strip to help seal them, leaving at least 2.5 centimeters between each portion of cheese mixture, though 5 centimeters is ideal.

Fold the dough over, tightly sealing the edges, and press gently around the cheese to remove as much air as possible. For a traditional ravioli appearance, use a fluted pastry wheel along the edges. Alternatively, a fork can be used.

Cut the dough into squares and place them in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Avoid overcrowding the pot; they cook quickly, so there’s plenty of time to prepare them all.

Finally, drizzle the brown butter sauce over the ravioli. Before serving, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley. These ravioli are best served hot!

What’s the Significance of Using Freshly Grated Cheese?

When comparing a block of cheese to pre-shredded cheese, you’ll notice additional ingredients in the pre-shredded variety that aren’t present in a block of cheese. These extra ingredients help maintain the separation of shredded cheese and extend its shelf life, as well as retain its color. However, blocks of cheese, grated fresh, simply cook and melt better.

Additionally, consider the cost and longevity. A block of cheese grated at home offers more cheese for your money and can last for weeks when stored properly. With five different cheeses used in this recipe, three of which can be grated at home, it’s definitely worth a try!

Can Homemade Ravioli Be Prepared in Advance?

Absolutely! Homemade ravioli can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to six months! If you’re not planning to cook the pasta immediately, place the filled ravioli on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes. Then, transfer them to an airtight container for freezing until ready to cook. To prepare, simply drop the frozen ravioli into boiling water for about 3 minutes, and they’re ready to enjoy!

Do I Have to Make Homemade Ravioli?

Not at all! You can still savor the flavors of this ravioli with the cheese filling and brown butter sauce without making homemade pasta. You can purchase ravioli dough, or even use wonton wrappers or egg roll wrappers. Just be sure to seal the dough completely before boiling the ravioli. Remove them from the water after they float to the top, being careful not to overcook them, as overcooking can cause them to fall apart.

Ingredients

FILLING

• 1/2 cup (123 g) ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup (28 g) mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup (25 g) Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup (25 g) Romano cheese, grated
• 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely diced

BROWN BUTTER SAUCE

• 1/3 cup (76 g) butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

NOODLES

• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 bottle water, in a spray bottle

Instructions

FILLING

1. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, cream cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley. Set aside.

BROWN BUTTER SAUCE

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter.
2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Be sure not to overcook the garlic.
3. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat.

NOODLES

1. Sift flour and salt onto a work surface.
2. Make a wide well in the center of the flour.
3. Crack the full egg into the well.
4. Add egg yolks and oil, and gently whisk the wet mixture together within the well.
5. Slowly fold in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until the dough is too stiff to mix with a fork.
6. Using a bench scraper, cut into the mixture to break up the gluten, while continuously using your hands to bring the entire mixture together. Fold it into a single mass.
7. Knead the dough with your hands for 7-10 minutes, adding more flour as needed.
8. Form a ball with the dough and cover it, allowing it to rest for 30 minutes.
9. Roll the dough out into a 0.6 centimeter thick rectangle (thin enough to fit into the KitchenAid Pasta Roller attachment at its widest setting).
10. Move the rollers to the next smallest setting and pass the dough through again. Continuously lower the size settings, passing the dough through once or twice each time.
11. Stop rolling when the dough is thin enough to partially see through.
12. Cut the length of dough into 61-centimeter sections.
13. Lay out each section and, working with one pasta sheet at a time, lightly spray each sheet with water.
14. Starting from one edge, spoon out 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each sheet, leaving 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of space on each side.
15. Lift the top edge of the sheet and bring it over the filling, lining it up with the bottom edge.
16. Gently press the dough as close as possible to the filling, eliminating any air pockets.
17. Seal the edges completely and press firmly.
18. Using a fluted pastry wheel, trim the long edge of the pasta. Then cut in between each section to create individual ravioli.
19. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add ravioli to the hot water, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.
20. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then gently scoop out the ravioli, strain out any excess water, and transfer to a plate.
21. Drizzle brown butter sauce over the ravioli.
22. Top with extra grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
23. Serve immediately and enjoy your homemade Five Cheese Ravioli with Garlic Brown Butter Sauce!