Homemade Asparagus Ravioli with Saffron Cream Sauce
Silky and delicate pasta pillows with a rich asparagus-ricotta-filling, nestled in aromatic saffron cream sauce. This ravioli recipe features a unique combination of flavors and textures, where creamy ricotta meets tender asparagus. The saffron sauce adds an elegant touch to the dish, infusing the pasta with a subtle hint of spice and a vibrant golden hue. A simple yet sophisticated dish for any occasion.
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Make one batch of Italian pasta dough:
Create a flour well on your work surface and crack the eggs into the well. Using a fork, break up the yolks and begin to mix the eggs with the flour in the center. Slowly incorporate more and more flour from the edges until a thick paste forms. Use a bench scraper to fold in the remaining flour and start kneading the dough with your hands. Knead for at least 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Wrap it tightly in cling film and let it rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2
While the dough is resting, make the asparagus-ricotta-filling:
Cut off and discard the tough woody ends of the asparagus spears. Then cut off the tips (up to 1 / 3 of the spears) and set them aside for later. Finely chop the remaining part of the spears and mince the garlic cloves. Warm the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the chopped asparagus and garlic for about 5-7 minutes, until soft and tender.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, sautéed asparagus, garlic, Parmesan cheese and egg yolk. Add a generous pinch of salt and black pepper and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Stir until smooth and well combined. Transfer about half of the filling into a piping bag and store the bowl with the remaining filling in the fridge until ready to use.
Step 3
Make the ravioli:
Cut off a quarter of the pasta dough and keep the rest well wrapped. Pass the dough through your pasta machine and roll it out into a thin sheet. For ravioli, I recommend rolling the dough out to setting 6 or 7. Cut the sheet in half and pipe evenly sized dollops of filling (about 1 teaspoon each) on one sheet, spacing them about 3 – 4 cm apart. Lay the second sheet on top and gently drape it over the fillings. Squeeze out any excess air with your fingers and seal the ravioli. Use a pasta cutter or ravioli stamp to cut the ravioli. Save the dough scraps and roll them out again with a piece of fresh dough. For more detailed instructions on how to make different ravioli shapes, please click here.
Store the ravioli on a floured baking tray until ready to cook, and cover them with cling film. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling.
Step 4
Make the sauce and cook the ravioli:
In a small bowl, soak the saffron threads in three tablespoons of hot water and let it sit for about 10 – 15 minutes. This helps to extract to color and flavor the threads. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the asparagus tips for a few minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite. Remove them from the pan, and set aside. Deglaze the pan with the saffron liquid and add the heavy cream and a pinch of salt. Stir until well combined. Let the sauce gently simmer for a few minutes over low heat, while the pasta is cooking. Once the water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt and cook the ravioli for 3 – 4 minutes, until “al dente”. Keep in mind that fresh pasta cooks a lot faster than dried pasta. Once the ravioli are done to your liking, drain them and transfer them directly to the pan. Toss and stir until the pasta is evenly coated with sauce. Garnish it with the sautéed asparagus tips and serve immediately.
More Pasta Recipes You May Like:
Homemade Asparagus Ravioli with Saffron Cream Sauce
Equipment
- Pasta machine
- Piping bag
- Ravioli stamp or ravioli mold
- Baking tray
Ingredients
For the pasta dough:
- 400 g flour – Tipo 00 or all-purpose
- 228 g eggs – about 4 medium eggs
For the asparagus-ricotta-filling:
- 400 g green asparagus – ends trimmed and tips reserved for the sauce as a topping. The stalks will be finely chopped and sautéed for the filling.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 250 g ricotta cheese
- 75 g Parmesan cheese – finely grated
- 1 egg yolk
- salt and pepper to taste
For the saffron cream sauce and the topping:
- 20 g butter
- All the asparagus tips – to add as a topping and garnish the pasta
- 0.3 g saffron threads – about 1/2 teaspoon
- 3 tbsp water – hot
- 250 ml heavy cream
Instructions
- Make one batch of Italian pasta dough:Create a flour well on your work surface and crack the eggs into the well. Using a fork, break up the yolks and begin to mix the eggs with the flour in the center. Slowly incorporate more and more flour from the edges until a thick paste forms. Use a bench scraper to fold in the remaining flour and start kneading the dough with your hands. Knead for at least 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Wrap it tightly in cling film and let it rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, make the asparagus-ricotta-filling:Cut off and discard the tough woody ends of the asparagus spears. Then cut off the tips (up to 1 / 3 of the spears) and set them aside for later. Finely chop the remaining part of the spears and mince the garlic cloves. Warm the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the chopped asparagus and garlic for about 5-7 minutes, until soft and tender.In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, sautéed asparagus, garlic, Parmesan cheese and egg yolk. Add a generous pint of salt and black pepper and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Stir until smooth and well combined. Transfer about half of the filling into a piping bag and store the bowl with the remaining filling in the fridge until ready to use.
- Make the ravioli:Cut off a quarter of the pasta dough and keep the rest well wrapped. Pass the dough through your pasta machine and roll it out into a thin sheet. For ravioli, I recommend rolling the dough out to setting 6 or 7. Cut the sheet in half and pipe evenly sized dollops of filling (about 1 teaspoon each) on one sheet, spacing them about 3 – 4 cm apart. Lay the second sheet on top and gently drape it over the fillings. Squeeze out any excess air with your fingers and seal the ravioli. Use a pasta cutter or ravioli stamp to cut the ravioli. Save the dough scraps and roll them out again with a piece of fresh dough. For more detailed instructions on how to make different ravioli shapes, please click here.Store the ravioli on a floured baking tray until ready to cook, and cover them with cling film. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling.
- Make the sauce and cook the ravioli:In a small bowl, soak the saffron threads in three tablespoons of hot water and let it sit for about 10 – 15 minutes. This helps to extract to color and flavor the threads. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the asparagus tips for a few minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite. Remove them from the pan, and set them aside. Deglaze the pan with the saffron liquid and add the heavy cream and a pinch of salt. Stir until well combined. Let the sauce gently simmer for a few minutes over low heat, while the pasta is cooking. Once the water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt and cook the ravioli for 3 – 4 minutes, until “al dente”. Keep in mind that fresh pasta cooks a lot faster than dried pasta. Once the ravioli are done to your liking, drain them and transfer them directly to the pan. Toss and stir until the pasta is evenly coated with sauce. Garnish it with the sautéed asparagus tips and serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
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