Servings
Font
Back
How to Make Ravioli (without equipment)
5 from 21 votes

How to Make Ravioli (without equipment)

This recipe details how to make fresh ravioli by hand using homemade pasta dough and your choice of filling. The dough is rolled out into thin sheets, either with a pasta machine or a rolling pin, then layered with dollops of filling. The sheets are sealed around the filling to form individual pockets and cooked in boiling salted water. Various fillings like cheese, vegetables, or meats can be used, and sauces from simple tomato to butter-based complement the pasta.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 518 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pasta dough fresh
  • semolina flour for dusting
  • filing of choice see notes
  • sauce see notes, of choice

Instructions

Preparation
    Cup of Yum
  1. Make the fresh pasta dough and let it rest as directed. Prepare a baking sheet or plate by sprinkling it with additional semolina flour. Set aside; it will hold the ravioli once they're made.
  2. If needed, begin preparing the filling while the pasta rests, or before making the pasta.
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, because this will take a while, I like to start it before or while forming the pasta so it's ready once the ravioli is formed.
Rolling the Dough into Pasta Sheets
  1. Divide the dough into 2-4 sections (4 sections will be easier to work with). Using your hands or a small rolling pin, form it into a rectangular shape, just thick enough that it will fit into the largest setting on your pasta machine. Use a pasta machine for the best results. If you don't have one, use a rolling pin to roll each section following the next steps.
  2. Roll it out on the largest setting, adjusting and folding the sheet into a rectangular shape again, as needed. Each time you roll it out, it will expand how it was placed in, so making it a uniform rectangle as much as possible will help you later on.
  3. Once you've gone through the largest setting and have a solid 'rectangle type base', thread the dough through each smaller setting, one by one, until you've reached your desired thickness. I like to go with the second to last thinnest setting, however, if you're really brave you can go as thin as possible. Place the rolled-out sheet on the countertop dusted with semolina flour to prevent sticking.
No-Equipment Method (Rustic Freestyle!)
  1. With the pasta sheet laid out on the semolina-dusted countertop, place approximately 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of the filling, spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart, on one half of the sheet. You want to place it on one half because we will be folding the dough up to create the ravioli pockets. I find that a small cookie scoop to place the filling gives the perfect equal amount for each pocket.
  2. With the filling spaced on the entire length of your pasta sheet, fold over the other half of the dough on top of the filling.
  3. Gently press the pasta around each dollop of filling to create the beginning of each pocket.
  4. Use a pizza cutter or pasta wheel to cut between each pocket. Press the edges down as needed, or use a fork to make sure they are fully sealed.
  5. Place the pockets on your prepared baking sheet and continue forming ravioli with the remaining pasta sheets.
Ravioli Maker Method
  1. Sprinkle semolina flour along the metal portion. This is what will cut the ravioli pockets, so it's important the dough doesn't stick. Place the thin sheet of pasta over the metal piece, making sure the dough hangs over the sides so there is enough in place once it's weighted down from the filling.
  2. Place the plastic piece with the divets on top of the pasta sheet, gently pressing down to stretch the dough and create space for the ricotta ravioli filling. Remove the plastic piece and fill the space with about 2 teaspoons of filling (depending on the size of your molds).
  3. Optional: Lightly rub water along the edges of the pasta sheet, around the filling. This helps the pasta stick together. But be careful, don't add too much or it will get gummy.
  4. Take the second sheet of pasta dough and spread it across the top of the filled ravioli sheet. Using a rolling pin, roll over the ravioli maker. With the pressure of this, the metal piece will “cut out” the ravioli. Flip over the mold and out will pop your ravioli (you may need to gently coax them depending on how well you dusted the mold with flour).
Cooking Ravioli
  1. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the ravioli pockets in batches. Be sure to not overcrowd the pan. The ravioli pockets will take approximately 2-4 minutes to cook to al dente, depending on the size of the ravioli. A good indicator they're done is that they'll float, but I do recommend testing one from the first batch to see how long it takes.
  2. If you're going to finish them in the sauce for longer than a minute or so, you may want to remove them slightly early and let them finish cooking completely in the sauce.
  3. Serve immediately in the sauce of choice and garnish as desired. Enjoy your creation!

Notes

  • This recipe yields about 48 ravioli approximately 1 1/2 inches in size.
  • Filling options include cheeses and herbs, butternut squash, corn, vegetables like spinach and mushrooms, ground meats, or seafood such as lobster and crab.
  • Sauce choices include brown butter for squash or seafood, simple tomato for cheese or meat, and cream sauces for vegetables or seafood ravioli.
  • To freeze, place fresh ravioli individually on a parchment-lined tray until fully frozen, then transfer to freezer bags; cook frozen ravioli a few minutes longer than fresh.

Nutrition Information

Calories 518kcal (26%) Carbohydrates 55g (18%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 30g (46%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g (24%) Monounsaturated Fat 14g (70%) Sodium 464mg (19%) Potassium 110mg (2%) Fiber 3g (12%) Vitamin A 1IU (0%) Calcium 22mg (2%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 518

% Daily Value*

Calories 518kcal 26%
Carbohydrates 55g 18%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 30g 46%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 14g 70%
Sodium 464mg 19%
Potassium 110mg 2%
Fiber 3g 12%
Vitamin A 1IU 0%
Calcium 22mg 2%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Report Abuse
Faster & Easier Access

Add to Home Screen

Install Cup of Yum on your Home Screen for one-tap access to your favorite recipes. Enjoy a faster, app-like experience, save recipes, organize collections, and print recipes anytime.

  • Access to 250,000+ recipes
  • Save recipes
  • Create recipe collections
  • Print recipes
  • Add ingredients to grocery list
  • Ingredient scaling

In Safari or Chrome on iPhone, tap the Share button, then scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen. If you don't see it right away, tap View More first.

Login to Continue
Forgot password?
Don't have an account? Register