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Homemade pasta filled with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheeses makes this four cheese ravioli a cheese lover's dream.
When it comes to homemade past, ravioli is my go-to - from short rib ravioli to lobster ravioli to butternut squash ravioli.
But the OG in my mind is four cheese ravioli. Yes it is more labor intensive than buying at the store, but oh so worth the effort.
Why This Recipe Works
- Fun to make - Making homemade pasta might take a bit more effort, but it's both fun and incredibly satisfying to make. Plus, your kids will love getting involved in the process!
- Control over ingredients - When you make ravioli at home, you have full control over the quality and type of ingredients used. You can choose organic cheeses, fresh herbs and high-quality flour, ensuring a healthier and more flavorful dish.
- Make-ahead - It might seem strange, but you can actually prepare the ravioli in advance, freeze them, and then simply boil them when you're ready to cook.
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Ingredient Notes
- Pasta - You can create your own pasta dough with flour, eggs, olive oil and a pinch of salt, or opt for store-bought fresh pasta sheets. While homemade pasta lets you customize the thickness and texture, high-quality store-bought options are also a great time-saving alternative.
- Ricotta - Ricotta cheese serves as the creamy base for the filling. Opt for full-fat ricotta and drain it well to avoid excess moisture, which can make the filling too soft.
- Mozzarella - Mozzarella brings a mild, creamy texture to the filling. Low-moisture mozzarella is ideal for a firmer consistency.
- Parmesan - Parmesan adds a nutty, salty flavor to the filling. Freshly grated Parmesan is recommended for the best taste and texture.
- Pecorino Romano - Pecorino Romano has a bold, salty flavor with a hint of sharpness, adding depth to the cheese blend. Use it sparingly, as it’s more intense than Parmesan.
- Eggs - Eggs in the filling help bind the cheeses together, ensuring a smooth, cohesive texture that holds up during cooking.
- Italian seasoning - Adds a blend of herbs and spices that enhances the flavor profile of the cheese filling, giving it a more complex and aromatic taste.
- Seasonings - A touch of salt, pepper and garlic powder will enhance the flavors in the filling.
- Roasted tomato sauce - I love the enhances sweetness and depth of flavor that comes from this homemade sauce.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can change up the ingredients if need. Some substitutes include:
- While I like homemade pasta, you can use wonton wrappers instead.
- Ricotta cheese is best for the filling but you can also use cottage or goat cheese.
- Use provolone or fontina for a similar melting quality with a slightly different flavor from mozzarella.
- Instead of Italian seasoning, use individual herbs like basil, oregano, thyme or rosemary for a customized blend. Just triple the amount as they aren't as potent.
- While I like making my own tomato sauce, you can use store-bought.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
While homemade pasta isn't necessary for this four cheese ravioli, it makes a difference. I use Anne Burrell's pasta dough.
To create your pasta dough, begin by placing the flour on a clean surface and forming a well large enough to hold the eggs, olive oil, salt, and water.
Gradually beat the wet mixture, incorporating the surrounding flour. As it thickens, transition to using your hands until the dough begins to come together.
Knead it for 10-15 minutes until it becomes velvety and smooth. Wrap it in plastic wrap and allow it to rest for an hour.
While the dough is resting, mix together the filling ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
When ready, take a quarter of the dough, flatten it, and set your pasta machine to the widest setting (usually "1"). Run the dough through, fold it in thirds, and repeat. Progress through settings 1 to 5 to achieve your final pasta dough.
Flour pasta mold and place sheet on top. Add filling to wells. Moisten edges, place second sheet on top. Seal with rolling pin and release ravioli from mold.
Transfer the ravioli to a baking sheet, tossing in some flour so they don't stick.
Boil the ravioli for about 1-2 minutes or until the float. Remove ravioli and stir in the sauce.
FAQs
No, but it’s so worth the time it takes to make for this four cheese ravioli. Believe me I was scared the first time I made it, but it’s surprisingly easy!
If however you don’t want to make dough, then just use the wonton wrapper method. You can use wonton wrappers and place the filling in before sealing it and boiling.
Yes, you can roll out the dough by hand with a rolling pin, but using a pasta machine can speed up the process and ensure a more consistent thickness.
Yes, you can substitute cheeses according to your taste or dietary needs. For example, swap ricotta with cottage cheese, mozzarella with provolone, Parmesan with Grana Padano, and Pecorino Romano with Manchego.
To seal homemade ravioli, brush a little water or egg wash along the edges of the pasta dough before placing the top layer over the filling. Press firmly to ensure a tight seal and remove any air pockets. Be careful not to overfill the ravioli.
Yes. After assembling the ravioli, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
To cook, boil the ravioli for 1-2 minutes longer than the cooking time for fresh pasta, or until they float to the surface.
Side Dish Options
Ravioli is a pretty rich dish, so I prefer to have some veggies. Some options include:
- Smoked asparagus
- Roasted carrots and green beans
- Roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots
- Parmesan roasted Brussels sprouts
- Maple roasted carrots
Equipment
Especially with this recipe, you need to have the right equipment. What is needed includes:
- Pasta maker - I prefer the attachment to a Kitchen Aid mixer but you can look at other options. Pasta can also be made without this but is much more labor intensive.
- Ravioli mold - Helps create uniform ravioli.
- Rolling pin - Needed to press together the pasta sheets into the mold.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use freshly grated cheese for the filling. Never buy pre-shredded cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of cheese are also cheaper.
- Avoid overfilling the ravioli to ensure proper sealing.
- Use a ravioli mold to get consistently sized ravioli.
- Dust your ravioli with flour to prevent sticking. Lay them on a floured surface or parchment paper until you're ready to cook them.
- You know the ravioli is done when it floats. Don't overcook it or the ravioli will fall apart and the filling will come out.
- If short on time, just use store-bought tomato sauce.
Similar Recipes
- Blackened Chicken Alfredo
- Ragu Bianco
- Pasta alla Norcina
- Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
- Spaghetti alla Narano
If you’ve tried this four cheese ravioli or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Four Cheese Ravioli
Ingredients
Fresh Pasta Dough
- 1 lb all-purpose flour
- 4 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Filling
- 1 lb ricotta cheese
- 2 cups low-moisture mozzarella, grated
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Roasted Tomato Sauce
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 lbs fresh tomatoes, sliced in half (cherry or grape)
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
- 1 small carrot, diced
- 1 Parmesan rind, optional but recommended
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6-8 basil leaves
Instructions
Fresh Pasta Dough
- Put the flour on a clean dry work surface. Make a hole in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide. The wall needs to be about 2 inches high. Crack all of the eggs and the yolk into the hole and add the olive oil, salt and water. Using a fork, beat the eggs together with the olive oil, water and salt.
- Using the fork, begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture; be careful not to break the sides of the well or the egg mixture will run all over the board. When enough flour has been incorporated into the egg mixture where it won’t go everywhere, start to use your hands to really get everything well combined. If the mixture is tight and dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands.
- When the mixture has really come together, then you really start kneading. You will have to knead for 10-15 minutes, really putting your weight into it. When the dough is done, it will be smooth and velvety. Once a good consistency, wrap in saran wrap and let sit for 1 hour. Once the filling is ready, set up the pasta machine attachment on the stand mixer. Take a quarter of the dough and flatten it.
- Once the filling is ready, set up the pasta machine attachment on the stand mixer. Grab 1 ball of the dough and flatten it. Dust the dough with flour. Set the pasta machine to 1 and run the dough through. Fold the dough into thirds, making sure you thin in out again. Run through the machine, short end first. Fold into thirds again and run through the machine one more time. Now run through the 1 setting without folding the dough ahead of time. Switch to the 2nd setting and roll the dough through the machine again. Switch to the 3rd setting, run the dough through, then the 4th setting and then the 5th setting. The big thing is to make sure you flour the dough if it gets too sticky.
- Now heavily flour your pasta mold, otherwise it will stick when done. Lay one sheet of pasta on the mold and either use an egg to make a well or the plastic piece that comes with the mold to make the wells. Take 1 tablespoon of the filling and place it in each well. Use your fingers or a brush to dab some water along all of the edges of the ravioli. Lay a second sheet on top and run over with a rolling pin to seal. (Don't press too hard, other wise it could stick to mold) Turn mold over to release the ravioli. More than likely they won't be fully separated so use a pizza cutter to cut the rest. Line the ravioli on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Repeat until all the ravioli is prepared.
Filling
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until smooth. Set aside until pasta dough is ready.
Roasted Tomato Sauce
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread tomatoes, garlic, carrots, and Parmesan rind evenly on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper - making sure to keep the tomatoes cut side down. Roast for 30 minutes.
- Add basil and roast for another 5-10 minutes or until the tomatoes are starting to caramelize.
- Remove the Parmesan rind and chop up as it can get a little hard after baking. Add everything to the food processor and blend until you reach your desired consistency.
To Prepare
- Bring large pot of salted water to boil for ravioli.
- Boil the ravioli for about 1-2 minutes or until the float. Remove ravioli and stir in the sauce. Top with some additional cheese and herbs if desired.
Notes
- Use freshly grated cheese for the filling. Never buy pre-shredded cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of cheese are also cheaper.
- Avoid overfilling the ravioli to ensure proper sealing.
- Use a ravioli mold to get consistently sized ravioli.
- Dust your ravioli with flour to prevent sticking. Lay them on a floured surface or parchment paper until you're ready to cook them.
- You know the ravioli is done when it floats. Don't overcook it or the ravioli will fall apart and the filling will come out.
- If short on time, just use store-bought tomato sauce.
Jim says
Whoa this was amazing!
Ryan says
Yep it is.
Ben says
Takes some work but so good!
Ryan says
Yeah there is definitely a little effort in making this!