A classic Italian dish featuring fresh pasta stuffed with a rich blend of ricotta and Castelmagno cheese, finished with butter and Parmesan.
Cheese is more than an ingredient—it’s an experience. From creamy ricotta to the bold, nutty Castelmagno, every variety offers a unique flavor profile that transforms any dish into a masterpiece. Combining multiple cheeses in one recipe amplifies this magic, creating a symphony of textures and tastes.
Ravioli with cheese brings this love of cheese to life. Encased in delicate pasta, the filling blends creamy ricotta with Castelmagno for a perfectly balanced flavor. Whether you’re a cheese connoisseur or a pasta lover, this dish delivers indulgence in every bite.
Ingredients
Method
- Put the ricotta in the lined sieve over a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour to drain.
- Heap the flour in the bowl or on the work surface and make a deep well in the centre.
- Crack the eggs into the well and add the salt and olive oil.
- Beat the eggs with a fork, drawing in the flour little by little, until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and springs back when pressed; add 1 tsp of water if it stays crumbly.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and leave it at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
- Mix the drained ricotta, grated cheese, eggs and nutmeg until smooth.
- Refrigerate the filling for 30 minutes to firm it up.
- Cut the dough into 4 pieces and keep the ones you are not using wrapped.
- Roll one piece through the pasta machine, setting by setting, to the second-thinnest setting, about 1 mm, or roll it with a rolling pin until you can see your hand through it.
- Roll a second piece the same way, so you have two sheets of about the same size.
- Place heaped teaspoons of filling along one sheet, 4 cm apart, leaving a 2 cm border.
- Brush the dough around each mound lightly with water.
- Lay the second sheet on top and press around each mound, from the filling outwards, to push out the air.
- Cut between the mounds into squares and press the edges with a fork to seal.
- Lay the ravioli on the dusted tray in a single layer, then repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add 2 tbsp of salt.
- Melt the butter in the wide pan over low heat.
- Cook the ravioli in batches for 3–4 minutes, about a minute after they float; bite an edge to check that it is tender.
- Lift the ravioli into the butter with the slotted spoon, add 2–3 tbsp of the pasta water and swirl the pan until the ravioli are glossy.
- Serve at once, sprinkled with the grated Parmesan.
- Make the Dough
- On a clean surface, create a well with the flour. Crack eggs into the center, add a pinch of salt and olive oil.
- Gradually mix the flour into the eggs until a firm dough forms. Knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the Filling
- In a bowl, mix grated Castelmagno, ricotta, eggs, and nutmeg until well combined. Roll the mixture into small balls, about the size of a hazelnut.
- Assemble the Ravioli
- Divide the dough in half. Roll out one portion into a thin sheet.
- Place the cheese filling balls evenly on the dough, leaving space between them.
- Roll out the second portion of dough and lay it over the first sheet with filling.
- Press gently around each ball to seal the edges. Cut into squares using a pizza cutter or knife.
- Cook the Ravioli
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ravioli for 6–7 minutes until they float to the surface.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a pan with melted butter.
- Serve
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
What we changed for home
- Castelmagno can be replaced with 175 g Parmesan and 75 g Gorgonzola piccante Castelmagno, a crumbly, sharp, slightly blue cheese from Piedmont, is sold mainly in Italian delis. Parmesan gives the nutty depth and a little Gorgonzola the tang.
- Ricotta drained for 1 hour in a lined sieve Supermarket ricotta is wetter than Italian; a wet filling makes ravioli soggy and hard to seal.
- Filling chilled and scooped with a teaspoon instead of rolled into balls Ricotta with two eggs is too soft to roll by hand; 30 minutes in the fridge firms it enough to scoop neatly.
- Cooking time cut from 6–7 minutes to 3–4 Thin fresh ravioli float after about 2 minutes and are done a minute or two later; much longer and they can burst.
- Butter raised from 2 tbsp to 60 g and loosened with pasta water Two tablespoons won't coat ravioli for four; a splash of cooking water turns the butter into a light, glossy sauce.
- Dough rolled with a pasta machine or a rolling pin Either works; the sheet must be thin enough to see your hand through.
- Dough brushed with water and pressed from the filling outwards Water helps the sheets stick, and pressing out the air stops ravioli bursting in the pot.
The dish in the photograph was cooked by the restaurant for this story. Photo: Oleksandr Slyadnyev.
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