Spinach and Caramelized Onion Ravioli with Brown Butter

These spinach and caramelized onion ravioli are so delicious, your family and friends will love them! The onions are sweet and flavorful and pair perfectly with the earthiness of the spinach. Simply saute the vegetables, mix with the ricotta and Parmigiano Reggiano. Then, get started on the dough. If you don’t have a basic pasta recipe, this is a great all around egg dough. It is easy to work with and extremely versatile. I use it for everything from ravioli to fettucine to tortellini, I just adjust the thickness to the shape when rolling it out. For ravioli, you want the sheets to be on the thinner side since you will be layering the dough. If the dough is too thick, the ravioli will end up dense and chewy. For this recipe, I used a Kitchen Aid attachment and rolled the sheets to setting #4, which is about 1/8″ thick.

There are several options for shaping ravioli. For this recipe, I decided to use a pasta mold, but of course, you can use any method you prefer. There are so many options these days, from ravioli trays, cutters and stamps to a good old fashioned ravioli pin. Use whatever works for you. If you are in the market to purchase a ravioli mold, I highly recommend this one, made by Trupasta. It is so beautiful, well crafted, and easy to use and the customer service was excellent. I attached the link below, if you are interested.

Click here for the Trupasta ravioli mold

I chose to dress them in a simply brown butter sauce for a few reasons, first, you can never go wrong with brown butter, second, a simple sauce allows the beauty of the embossed ravioli to shine through, and third, after I spend this much time in the kitchen, I am ready to eat! For an added punch, I drizzle the ravioli with balsamic vinegar just before serving, to brighten the dish up.

Alright, let’s begin!

To begin, make the dough. Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the middle of it, then add the eggs, olive oil and water. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough for about 8 minutes or until it is smooth and homogenous. Then, remove the dough from the mixer, roll it into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap and allow to rest for at least one hour.

Next, get started on the filling. In a large saute pan, heat 3-4 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat, then add the garlic and onions. Season with salt and pepper, and saute for about 6-8 minutes or until they have softened and browned slighlty. Then, add the spinach, mix well and allow to cook until the spinach has wilted, about another 5 mintues. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. To speed up the cooling, I usually spread the vegetables out on a plate and put them in the refrigerator to cool. Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, transfer it to a cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess water. Then, add the mixture to the bowl of a food processor.

Add the ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano and salt. Blitz until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag and put it in the refrigerator to cool for at least an hour. Often times, I will make the filling the day before I assemble the ravioli.

Now, for the assembly. If you are using a mold, begin by dusting it with flour and shaking out the excess.

Add a pinch of semolina flour to a sheet pan or baking tray and set aside.

Once the pasta dough has rested, you can begin assembling. Roll the sheets out about 1/8″ thick. If you are using a Kitchen Aid attachment, this is setting #4.

Next, lay a pasta sheet out onto a smooth work surface and cut the sheet to the size of the ravioli mold. Lay the dough on top of the mold, pressing into the indent to make room for the filling. Pipe the filling into the center, cover the filling with another square of pasta dough and press into the mold to create a firm seal. Then, use a rolling pin to press the ravioli into the mold. Flip the mold upside down, carefully remove the ravioli from the mold and trim the edges.

Lay the ravioli on the sheet pan or baking tray while you continue to roll the rest.

When you are ready to cook the ravioli, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.

In a large saute pan, melt 1/2 cup of butter over medium low heat. Cook until the butter has browned.

Then, carefully add the ravioli to the boilng water and allow them to cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until they rise to the top.

While the ravioli are cooking, remove one ladleful of pasta water and add it to the butter, whisking vigorously to create an emulsion. The butter will turn foamy and milky.

When the ravioli are done remove them from the water with a strainer and add them to the melted butter, shaking the pan until all of the ravioli are coated in butter.

Then, plate the ravioli, top with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and you are ready to serve. Enjoy!