Raviolo al Uovo (Egg Yolk Ravioli)
Coming up next, we have the final vowel in our pasta filled journey through the alphabet (unless you count Y), and one that might have stumped me if it weren’t for one particular dish, U. Understandably, utilizing unique foods beginning with u utters a bit of trial and error, but unlike past tricky letters, I believe I’ve found the ultimate way to use this letter, and that being the unmistakably delicious Raviolo al Uovo, otherwise referred to as egg yolk ravioli.
This particular type of raviolo is simple in theory, you place an egg yolk inside of sheets of pasta that will cook slightly as the pasta cooks, but like with a poached egg, still remain runny inside. However, this can be tricky as, like water balloons, egg yolks can burst with even the smallest amount of agitation like, say, the broken egg shell used to separate the yolk from the white.
In fact, prior to writing this recipe I had only done this one other time. However, once you’ve mastered this art, you’ll find that it is truly unique and wonderful.
Makes 8 Raviolo, plus extra pasta dough
For the Pasta:
6 oz 00 or all purpose flour
2 oz semolina flour
2 whole eggs
Salt, for pasta water
For the Filling and Sauce
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for topping
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
8 eggs
8 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh sage leaves
For the pasta, combine both flours and mound it up on a clean workbench. Make a well in the middle about 4 inches wide, then add in the eggs. Use a fork to beat the eggs and slowly incorporate the flour until a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest on the counter for at least 20 minutes.
While the pasta rests, bring a shallow pan of salted water to a boil.
Combine the ricotta, Parmigiano and pepper in a small bowl, using a fork to bash it a bit and break it down into a smooth mixture.
Cut the pasta dough in half, then use pasta roller or rolling pin to roll the dough into long, thin sheets, keeping any dough you’re not using wrapped. Cut both sheets in half.
Lay two of the pasta sheets in front of you, then scoop up golf ball sized mounds of the filling and place them along each sheet, spacing them apart by about 2 inches. Press down the mounds to flatten and make an egg yolk-sized well in the middle.
Carefully crack and separate your eggs, then place each yolk into each mound of filling. (It helps to keep a few extra eggs on standby in case one or two of the yolks burst.)
Lay another pasta sheet on top, then use your fingers to press out the air around the filling and to squish the two pasta sheets together. Use either a large ring cutter or ravioli cutter to cut out individual raviolo, save the remaining pasta for another day.
Before you cook the raviolo, heat the butter in a wide nonstick skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the butter smells nutty and you start to see brown specs.
(Did I forget to mention we’re serving the raviolo with brown butter? Well, that’s one of the best ways to go.)
Once the butter is hot, carefully lower the raviolo into the pot of simmering water and cook for about 2 minutes, twisting the pot now and then, until the pasta floats to the water’s surface. Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to fish out the raviolo and transfer to the pan with the brown butter. Add the sage, then cook for about 3 minutes, swirling occasionally.
To serve, move the raviolo to plates, then top with the brown butter and some more grated Parmigiano.
