6x surprising ravioli fillings
Homemade ravioli (good job!) on tonight’s menu but no idea what to fill the ravioli with, or simply ready for a different filling than the eternal spinach and ricotta? Then try filling your ravioli with these fillings!
Making ravioli yourself is complicated? Not at all. And certainly not with these step-by-step ravioli tips. The fillings don’t have to be complicated or involve lots of ingredients either. You can fill these little pasta pillows with all kinds of things, and these six combinations are surprisingly delicious.
Foraged greens
Picking your own edible plants for this filling is a very good idea, provided you know where you can do so and are 100% certain that you haven’t picked a poisonous plant. Nettles, watercress, wild garlic and ground elder (which has a spinach-like flavor) can be found in nature or perhaps even in your own backyard. Finely chop the plants you’ve picked, mix them with ricotta, a pinch of salt and pepper, and your ravioli filling is ready.
Egg yolk
Surprise your dinner guests and hide an egg yolk at the bottom of the dough which, when you cut open the ravioli, slowly runs across the plate. To do this, first make a filling from, for example, mascarpone and ricotta, which you can use to create a sort of nest for the egg yolk. Make sure the hollow you place the yolk in is deep enough for the pasta sheet to fall neatly over it without breaking the yolk.
Sardines
Fish fillings in ravioli are usually crab, salmon or white fish, but did you know you can also fill them with sardines? Grill the sardines in a grill pan or on the barbecue. Then pick the flesh from the fish, mix it with some pepper, salt, lemon zest and parsley, and fill the ravioli with it.
Braised meat
Braised meat or rendang left over from yesterday? Delicious in ravioli!
Sweet potato
Besides crispy fries, sweet potato is also highly suitable for ravioli. Boil the sweet potato until tender—you can also roast it—and press the cooked potato through a sieve so it becomes deliciously smooth. Mix a few pieces of crispy bacon into the purée and serve the ravioli with a butter and sage sauce. Insanely delicious!
Chocolate
Ravioli doesn’t always have to be savory; you can also serve it as a dessert. To make sweet ravioli, mix the standard pasta dough with a tablespoon of cocoa powder and a teaspoon of sugar. Instead of olive oil, you can also use walnut or hazelnut oil. You can fill the ravioli with this cupcake ganache, serve it with fresh fruit and a vanilla sauce, and don’t forget that dollop of airy whipped cream.
