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Homemade Italian ravioli with meat and cheese filling sprinkled with green parsley in a brown rustic bowl with wood handled fork and knife on a green and white plaid napkin on top of rustic wood table.
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4.93 from 185 votes

Homemade Italian Ravioli with Meat & Cheese Filling

A flavorful meat and cheese filling for the homemade ravioli dough pockets. It's a versatile filling that can be spiced up with hot pepper flakes and garlic or a different type of cheese can be added if you would prefer to make it "all your way." The pasta dough can be used for any type of pasta shape or dish. Every Italian dish is improved 1000% by making your own pasta. 
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 15 people
Calories: 327kcal

Ingredients

MEAT CHEESE RAVIOLI FILLING

  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 2 Tbs parsley chopped
  • 12 oz beef chuck ground
  • 12 oz pork sausage country style
  • 16 oz ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 Tbs olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup spinach leaves baby spinach chopped.

PASTA DOUGH

  • 14 oz. all-purpose flour 3 ⅛ cups
  • 4 eggs large
  • 1 Tbs olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Instructions

FOR THE MEAT RAVIOLI FILLING

  • Fry the meat in olive oil until well browned. Drain the meat on paper towels
  • When the meat cools a little put it into a large bowl and mix in the chopped spinach. chopped parsley, beaten eggs and the rest of the ingredients, add salt and pepper to taste. 
  • Put the filling into the food processor bowl and pulse several times until the mixture is fine. 
  • Return the filling to the mixing bowl and refrigerate. (The filling is easier to work with when refrigerated.) The filling will give you enough for a double batch -- making about 90 - 100+ ravioli. The filling can be frozen. 

PASTA DOUGH

    THE FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD

    • Using the metal blade pulse the flour and salt together.
    • Lightly stir the eggs and olive oil in a measuring cup.
    • With the processor running, add the egg/oil mixture all at once through the feed tube until a ball is formed then pulse several times. The dough should be slightly sticky to the touch and should spring back when you press it. 
    • Form the dough into a smooth ball and place on a dough board or tabletop and cover with a bowl for 30 minutes.
    • After 30 minutes you can make the dough into your preferred shape. This is a single batch --you'll need to double the dough to use up all of the filling.

    MANUAL METHOD

    • Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
    • Gradually add eggs and oil to flour, mixing with a spoon. As the mixture becomes lumpy, begin to press together and knead with your hands. If mixture seems too dry and grainy, add one tablespoon of water at a time until the mixture holds together into a ball.
    • Remove dough from the mixing bowl and begin to knead dough for 2 minutes on a lightly floured dough board or table top.
    • Cover the dough with a bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Allowing the dough to rest will improve the texture of the dough.

    TO COOK RAVIOLI:

    • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water. You want your water as salty as the sea.
    • Add the ravioli in batches. About 10- 12 at a time. Don't overcrowd. Bring the water back to a gentle simmer and cook for about 3-4 minutes. If the ravioli is frozen, cook for an additional minute.
    • Remove with a slotted spoon or spider to a serving dish. Continue cooking the rest of the ravioli. Serve with your favorite sauce or just with extra-virgin olive oil, butter, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with fresh herbs. 

    Notes

    To use up all of the meat and cheese ravioli filling you'll need a double batch of pasta dough. If you don't want to do it all at once, you may freeze the filling to use at a later down. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 632mg | Potassium: 235mg | Vitamin A: 530IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 2.5mg