Lemon Ricotta Ravioli

Today, I am sharing a recipe for Lemon Ricotta Ravioli using three types of Imperia Ravioli Makers. I rolled homemade pasta into sheets and filled them with with a ricotta mixture seasoned with Pecorino Romano cheese, lemon zest, egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. The delicate flavors are perfect paired with brown butter and fresh herbs or in a light broth.

Disclosure: I received the Imperia Ravioli Maker Set of 3 with Rolling Pin from CucinaPro in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

The Imperia Ravioli Maker Set of 3 comes with plates to create Ravioli, Raviolini (Mini Ravioli), and Triangular Tortelli. The plates are composed of pressed aluminum on a stainless steel body and made in Italy. The rubber feet on the bottom of each plate help keep them in place during assembly. Evan and Claire loved the mini rolling pin that came with the set. They now bring it out for many of our baking projects.

I used a pasta machine (mine is also from Imperia) to roll the dough into thin sheets by gradually going to the lowest setting. If you don’t have a pasta machine, use a rolling pin to flatten the dough as thinly as possible on a floured surface.

Evan was at school when I assembled the ravioli, so Claire enjoyed having the pasta machine all to herself. I gave her a few scraps to practice rolling while I filled the ravioli. This was the first time she was able to operate the machine without any help and was quite proud of herself.

I used all three plates to form the lemon ricotta ravioli. I did have a bit of difficulty rolling the pin over the triangle plate enough to separate them. They sealed well, but the interior grooves didn’t cut all the way through. I ended up popping out the sheet of triangles and used a pastry cutter to separate them completely. I had no issues with the other two plates.

For easy piping, I transferred the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a large tip. A ziplock bag with the corner snipped off would also work well.

The ravioli can be boiled right after assembly or frozen in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once frozen through, they can be transferred to a freezer-safe bag for quick and easy future meals. This recipe can also be doubled to make more ravioli for later or a crowd.

I served the triangular tortelli with brown butter and sage. It was simple and delicious. In a large pan, I melted a stick of butter over medium heat and added a few whole sage leaves. I continued to cook the butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until it developed a nutty aroma and became golden brown. I tossed in the boiled tortelli and served it immediately.

The raviolini were the favorite with Evan and Claire. They enjoyed them in a light broth with a little parmesan cheese grated on the top. The raviolini can be cooked right in the boiling broth for an easy, light lunch.

Looking for more ravioli recipes? Try Fried Ravioli with Raspberry Chocolate Goat Cheese, Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with a Walnut Cream Sauce, and Ravioli con Salsiccia e Spinaci (Sausage Spinach Ravioli).

Lemon Ricotta Ravioli Recipe

Adapted from Use Your Noodle and Epicurious

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Lemon Ricotta Ravioli

Servings 2 -4 servings

Ingredients

Pasta:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• ~1/4 cup water

Filling:

• 9 ounces ricotta cheese
• 5 ounces  freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 egg
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. To make the pasta: In a bowl or work surface, add the flour. Make a well in the center and add the eggs. Mix together to form a dough. Slowly add just enough water to make a smooth, soft dough. Wrap in plastic and set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. To make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, Pecorino Romano, and egg. Mix in the lemon zest, nutmeg, black pepper, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until needed, up to 1 day.
3. To assemble: Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Divide the pasta dough in half. Remove 1/2 to a floured work surface and keep the other half covered. Use a pasta machine, flouring as needed, to gradually roll out the dough to the thinnest setting. Flour the desired ravioli mold and cover with a sheet of pasta. Fill each cavity with the lemon ricotta filling. Top with another sheet of pasta and use a rolling pin to seal and cut out the ravioli. Remove and separate the ravioli and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce to medium-high heat and add the prepared ravioli in batches, being careful not to overcrowd. Gently stir the bottom and cook until they float to the top. Use a slotted spoon to gently remove the ravioli to a colander. Repeat with remaining ravioli.
5. Serve immediately with desired sauces or toppings.