How to make ravioli

Bringing to the table a nice tray of homemade ravioli is certainly a great satisfaction and always gives a sincere and heartfelt appreciation from all the diners; Contrary to what you might think, their preparation is not particularly difficult, just a bit long. The basic equipment for preparing homemade ravioli can be more or less professional; Let's say that elbow grease to knead the dough and a wheel to divide them is already in itself sufficient equipment but if you really want to speed up and optimize the work I would like to advise you what I usually use. A good mixer or a food processor will be fine and will allow you to knead in a moment; Failing that, the strength of your arms will also be fine, indeed, I would say that kneading is a very relaxing activity. 

Ravioli are a format of fresh stuffed egg pasta that recalls the great classics of the tradition of homemade pasta by grandmothers, who with the skillful mastery of the use of rolling pin, are able to pull very thin and very large sheets, with which we perhaps today do not even try to try. The fillings of fresh pasta can have the most varied flavors, but ricotta and spinach is a classic that is really difficult to abandon, also because finding something so simple and versatile, adaptable to all types of seasoning, becomes really difficult.

Ingredients

For about 120 ravioli

For the pasta

400 g flour 

10 egg yolks

2 whole eggs

For the filling

600 g spinach, already boiled and squeezed

600 g sheep's milk ricotta

200 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano

nutmeg

salt, pepper

Guidelines

Prepare the filling of the ravioli: put the ricotta, Parmesan cheese and spinach in the blender. Season with salt, pepper and a generous dose of nutmeg. Blend everything to obtain a cream and transfer it to a piping bag. Sift the flour and place it in a fountain on a wooden pastry board or inside a large bowl making a crater in the center. In a bowl put the egg yolks and eggs and beat them slightly. Collage homemade ravioli 01

Put the eggs in the center of the flour and begin to work the dough by soaking it with your fingertips. Always keep aside a little flour because depending on the size of the eggs it may be necessary to add a few pinches. Continue to work the dough with your hands until a ball begins to form. At this point transfer it to the wooden pastry board and knead it again vigorously until you get a smooth and elastic dough. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover it with a cloth and let it rest for an hour. After the rest time, take the dough and start pulling the sheets using the sheeter machine. Start pulling it to the thickest thickness and as the dough becomes smoother and more elastic decrease the thickness until you get to the penultimate hole of the machine. Proceed in this way: pull two sheets at a time and place the first on the lightly floured ravioli machine, pressing lightly on the dimples to insert the filling. With the help of the sac a poche arrange the filling in each dimple. Take the second sheet and cover the first then press with a rolling pin exerting a slight pressure in order to highlight the threads of the ravioli cut. At this point, with a decisive gesture, turn the ravioli machine; The ravioli will come off the mold easily. As they are ready, put them to dry on a cloth dusted with plenty of semolina flour so that they do not stick; From time to time turn them over so that they dry well on both sides. Proceed in the same way until the dough is exhausted; Always flour the ravioli machine for an easier cut of the ravioli. Boil the ravioli in salted water; If you need to cook them after a few days it is advisable to freeze them and pour them into the pot still frozen. Resting in the refrigerator, even for a single day, is not advisable because of the filling that would moisten the dough compromising the final result. The only way to avoid this is to spread them in a single layer on a tray covered with a cloth abundantly floured.

Watch also the video on You Tube 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qOFh9waxeA