Bushra Griffith
Making mini round cheese ravioli from scratch is a rewarding experience, but it can be time-consuming. First, you need to prepare the dough, which forms the base of your ravioli. This involves mixing flour, eggs, olive oil, and salt. Once the dough is ready, you need to make the filling, which typically consists of a blend of cheeses such as ricotta, Romano, Parmesan, mozzarella, and provolone. The filling is then carefully sealed inside the dough, creating the ravioli pockets. Finally, the ravioli is cooked by boiling in salted water until it floats to the top, indicating it is ready to be served with your favourite sauce.
How to cook mini round cheese ravioli
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Ricotta cheese, Pecorino Romano cheese, flour, eggs, olive oil, salt, water, marinara sauce |
| Dough preparation | Mound flour on a surface, make a well in the centre, add eggs, olive oil and salt, beat with a fork, mix egg and flour to form a thick paste, press in remaining flour to form dough, knead until smooth and elastic |
| Filling preparation | Mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, Parmesan cheese and egg |
| Sauce preparation | Heat olive oil, stir in garlic and pesto sauce, add heavy cream, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, whisk in Parmesan cheese |
| Cooking method | Boil water with salt and olive oil, add ravioli, cook until ravioli float to the top, drain, serve with sauce |
| Serving suggestion | Divide ravioli into warmed bowls, drizzle with marinara sauce and cream sauce |
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What You'll Learn
Making the dough
To make the dough for mini round cheese ravioli, you will need flour, eggs, olive oil, and salt. Mound the flour on a work surface and form a well in the centre. Add the eggs, olive oil, and salt to the well and beat together with a fork. Using a fork or your fingers, gradually mix the egg mixture into the flour, working from the centre out. If needed, use your other hand to keep the flour mound steady. Keep mixing until a thick paste forms.
Using your hands, press in the remaining flour until a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic; this should take about 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should have the consistency of modelling clay and bounce back when poked. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
If you are not serving the ravioli immediately, you can freeze the dough for later. Allow the ravioli to dry for about 30 to 40 minutes on the counter, and then place them in the freezer in a single layer to prevent sticking. Freeze until solid, and then either wrap the baking sheet tightly or transfer the ravioli to a freezer-safe airtight container. When you are ready to cook the frozen ravioli, simply boil them without defrosting, increasing the cooking time by a few minutes.
Your pasta dough should be smooth and pliable, but not too sticky. If it is too wet, add a bit more flour. If it is too dry, add a touch of water. The perfect dough will form a smooth ball after kneading and will spring back after you press it with your finger.
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Preparing the filling
To make the filling for mini round cheese ravioli, you will need a blend of ricotta and Pecorino Romano cheese. You can also add other cheeses such as mozzarella, provolone, and Parmesan. Freshly milled Durum wheat and hand-harvested Sicilian sea salt can also be added to the filling.
Start by preparing the ravioli filling while the dough is resting. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, Parmesan, and egg until well combined. Be generous with your filling, but don't overfill. Too much filling can cause the ravioli to burst during cooking. A teaspoon or a small cookie scoop can help you achieve a consistent amount.
If you want to add herbs to your filling, you can chop them finely and mix them in. Fresh basil, parsley, or oregano would all work well with the cheeses. You could also add some crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
Once your filling is mixed, it's time to start assembling the ravioli. Roll out the dough into thin sheets. Using a spoon or cookie scoop, place small mounds of the filling about an inch apart on one sheet of dough. Lightly brush the edges of the dough with water, then place a second sheet of dough on top. Press down around the mounds of filling to seal the two sheets of dough together and remove any air pockets.
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Making the sauce
There are many different sauces that can be used for mini round cheese ravioli, including tomato, marinara, and pesto. If you're looking for something creamier, you can make a rich sauce like Fettuccine Alfredo. You can also add cheese to your sauce, such as Parmesan, to make it even creamier.
Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add some garlic and prepared basil pesto sauce, stirring constantly until fragrant—this should take about 1 minute. Next, stir in some heavy cream and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer until slightly thickened. This should take around 3 to 5 minutes. Finally, whisk in some Parmesan cheese until it has melted. Remove from the heat and keep warm until serving.
If you are making a larger batch of sauce, you can adjust the recipe by increasing the amount of each ingredient. Alternatively, you can make a smaller batch by reducing the amounts. It is important to taste the sauce as you make it, so you can adjust the seasoning or ingredient quantities to your preference.
You can also add other ingredients to this sauce to make it your own. For example, you could add some chopped tomatoes or spinach for extra flavour and texture.
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Assembling the ravioli
To assemble the ravioli, first, roll out the dough into sheets. Be careful not to roll the dough too thin, as this can cause the ravioli to break apart during cooking. Next, drop the cheese filling onto the dough about an inch apart. You can use a teaspoon or a small cookie scoop to ensure a consistent amount of filling in each raviolo. Be generous, but don't overfill, as this can cause the ravioli to burst during cooking.
Once the filling is in place, cover it with another sheet of pasta dough. Gently press around each mound of filling to remove any air pockets and seal the ravioli. Use a sharp knife or a pizza wheel to cut between the mounds, forming squares or circles, depending on your desired shape. Transfer the ravioli to a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.
Repeat the rolling and shaping process with the remaining dough portions. If you are not serving the ravioli immediately, allow them to dry for about 30-40 minutes on the counter before freezing them in a single layer to prevent sticking. Frozen ravioli can be boiled directly without defrosting, but the cooking time will need to be increased slightly.
Before cooking, prepare your sauce by heating olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and pesto sauce, stirring constantly until fragrant. Then, stir in heavy cream and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened. Finally, whisk in Parmesan cheese until melted, creating a creamy and flavourful sauce for your ravioli.
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Cooking the ravioli
To cook mini round cheese ravioli, you can either use a stovetop or a microwave. Here is a step-by-step guide for both methods:
Stovetop Method:
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a pot. You can add 1 tablespoon of oil to prevent the ravioli from sticking, but this is optional.
- Place the desired amount of ravioli in the pot. For mini ravioli, follow the instructions on the package or refer to the microwave instructions as a guide for quantity.
- Simmer the ravioli for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender.
- Drain the water and serve the ravioli with your choice of sauce.
Microwave Method:
- Mix 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup of your favorite sauce. You can use a store-bought or homemade sauce, such as a simple tomato or marinara sauce, a creamy Fettuccine Alfredo sauce, or a basil pesto sauce.
- Place the desired amount of ravioli (typically around 12-15 pieces) in a microwave-safe dish.
- Add the sauce to the ravioli and stir to combine.
- Cover the dish and microwave on high power for 5-8 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Let the dish stand for 2-4 minutes before serving. Be careful when removing the cover, as the steam will be hot.
General Tips for Cooking Ravioli:
- When making your own ravioli, be generous with the filling, but don't overfill. Too much filling can cause the ravioli to burst during cooking.
- Seal the ravioli properly by moistening the edges of the pasta dough with water before sealing and pressing firmly to ensure there are no air pockets.
- Always use lightly simmering, salted water when cooking ravioli. A vigorous boil can cause them to break apart.
- Ravioli are typically done cooking once they float to the top of the pot.
- If you are not serving the ravioli immediately, you can freeze them for later. Allow them to dry on the counter for 30-40 minutes, then place them in a single layer in the freezer to prevent sticking.
Enjoy your delicious mini round cheese ravioli!
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Frequently asked questions
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. You can add a tablespoon of oil to prevent sticking. Add the ravioli to the boiling water and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until your desired tenderness, stirring occasionally. Drain and serve.
Mix together 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of your favourite sauce. Place 12 or 15 ravioli in a microwave-safe dish, add the sauce and cover. Heat on high power for 5-7 minutes or 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway. Let stand covered for 2-4 minutes before serving.
On the stovetop, you should simmer the ravioli for 5-8 minutes or until they reach your desired tenderness. In the microwave, cook the ravioli for 5-7 minutes or 8-10 minutes, depending on your microwave's wattage. Either way, the ravioli are done when they float to the top of the water and the filling is hot.
A classic tomato or marinara sauce works well with cheese ravioli, as it highlights the cheese without overpowering it. For a creamier sauce, you could try an Alfredo sauce. For something herbaceous, consider a basil pesto or brown butter sage sauce.
Yes, you can freeze the ravioli for later. Allow them to dry for 30-40 minutes on the counter, then place them in the freezer in a single layer. Once frozen, wrap the baking sheet or transfer the ravioli to an airtight container. Boil the frozen ravioli directly without defrosting, increasing the cooking time by a few minutes.
