John Miller
Mushroom ravioli is a hearty, flavourful dish that combines fresh mushrooms with dried ones for a rich, almost meaty taste. The mushrooms are cooked with aromatics like shallots, garlic, and herbs, then blended into a creamy sauce or filling. This mixture is then stuffed into homemade ravioli pockets made from scratch with flour, eggs, and sometimes cheese, like ricotta or Parmesan. The ravioli is boiled until al dente, then tossed in a pan with more mushrooms, butter, and herbs for a mouthwatering, comforting meal.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of dish | Main course |
| Cuisine | Italian |
| Main ingredients | Mushrooms, pasta, cheese |
| Types of mushrooms | Baby bella, shiitake, white button, chestnut, cremini, porcini, portobello, oyster |
| Other ingredients | Butter, onion, garlic, oregano, parsley, flour, cream, mascarpone, ricotta, eggs, salt, pepper, thyme, sage, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, shallots, balsamic vinegar |
| Types of cheese | Parmesan, mascarpone, ricotta, taleggio |
| Types of pasta | Homemade, store-bought |
| Consistency of filling | Soft, creamy, mousse or pate-like |
| Consistency of pasta | Thin sheets |
| Tools | Ravioli cutter, food processor, ravioli stamp, pasta machine, pastry crimper, ravioli mold |
| Cooking method | Boiling, frying, baking |
| Cooking temperature | Medium heat |
| Cooking time | 5 minutes |
| Serving suggestion | Grilled chicken, salmon, asparagus, lamb loin chops, salad, roasted vegetables |
| Storage | Can be frozen for up to 6 months |
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What You'll Learn
Making the pasta dough
Firstly, ensure you have a large, clutter-free work surface to roll out the dough. The kitchen table is ideal for this. You will also need a pasta machine or a pasta attachment for your stand mixer, especially if you want to roll the dough to a thin setting for ravioli.
To make the dough, you will need flour, salt, and eggs. Place the flour and salt on a flat surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and, using your fingers or a fork, slowly mix the flour and eggs together until a smooth dough is formed. Cover the dough with a clean tea towel and let it rest for about an hour.
Once the dough has rested, cut it into 3-4 parts. Roll out the pieces slightly and then use a pasta machine to roll them out until they are very thin. The recommended thickness for ravioli dough is 0.30 mm, but this can be tricky to achieve and handle, so 0.40 mm is also acceptable.
Sprinkle the dough with flour to prevent sticking and you are now ready to assemble your ravioli!
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Preparing the mushroom filling
The mushroom filling can be made with a variety of mushrooms, such as baby bella, shiitake, white button, chestnut (crimini), cremini, oyster, or portobello mushrooms. You can also mix fresh mushrooms with dried mushrooms, such as porcini or shiitake, to add a meaty texture. For a more exotic flavour, you can use wild mushrooms like fresh porcini and chanterelle mushrooms. However, these can be pricey and hard to find, so it's not necessary to use them.
To prepare the filling, start by chopping or mincing the mushrooms. You can do this by hand or use a food processor for a smoother, extra fine consistency. Be careful not to over-blend the mushrooms, as you don't want them to turn into a paste.
Next, cook the mushrooms. You can sauté them in olive oil with other ingredients such as onions, shallots, garlic, thyme, sage, oregano, parsley, and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are softened and golden, then set aside to cool.
Once the mushroom mixture has cooled, you can add your cheese. Common cheese choices for mushroom ravioli include ricotta, mascarpone, and Parmesan. You can also add a small amount of cream to make the filling extra creamy. Mix the ingredients together, tasting as you go to ensure the seasoning is correct. You can add salt and pepper to taste.
Finally, it's important to use a cold filling when assembling your ravioli. Chill the filling in the fridge for the best results. A hot filling will make the pasta soggy. You can prepare the filling 1-2 days in advance and chill it until you're ready to assemble your ravioli.
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Assembling the ravioli
Prepare the Work Surface and Pasta Dough:
Firstly, ensure you have a large, clutter-free work surface to roll out the pasta dough. The kitchen table is an ideal space. You will need a pasta machine or a pasta attachment for your stand mixer to roll out the dough. Aim for a thickness of 0.30 mm to 0.40 mm. The thinner the dough, the trickier it is to work with, but the result will be more ravioli. Remember, you don't need fancy tools or ravioli moulds to get started.
The Filling:
Use your fingers to gently press out any air from the filling to prevent air bubbles and pockets. It is best to use a cold filling, so be sure to chill it in the fridge beforehand.
The "Sandwich" Method:
This is a beginner-friendly method. Dollop the filling down the centre of a pasta sheet. Then, top it with another pasta sheet and smooth out any air before cutting it to size.
The "Fold Over" Method:
This method yields slightly more ravioli and creates less waste. Cut the pasta sheet in half or into thirds, depending on its length. Shorter sheets are easier to work with. Take one sheet, fold it in half horizontally to create a light crease, and then unfold it. Below the crease, place rounded teaspoons of filling, spaced two finger-widths apart.
Sealing the Ravioli:
Seal the sides of the ravioli with a pastry crimper or your fingers. Go around the entire ravioli to ensure it is properly sealed. You can also use a ravioli stamp or cutter to cut out the ravioli individually or with a knife.
Now, your mushroom ravioli is assembled and ready to be cooked! Simply boil them in salted water and serve with your favourite sauce. Enjoy the fruits of your labour!
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Making the sauce
To start, heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the shallots or onions and sauté until they become translucent and soft. Then, add the chopped mushrooms and cook until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally. For a more intense mushroom flavour, you can use a mixture of wild mushrooms, such as baby bella, shiitake, and white button mushrooms.
Next, add the garlic and herbs, including thyme, sage, oregano, and parsley. Cook this mixture for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic becomes fragrant and lightly browned. If you want to include sun-dried tomatoes, add them at this stage along with the garlic and herbs.
Once everything is cooked, remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Transfer about three-quarters of the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until it becomes creamy. Return the blended mixture to the pan and combine it with the remaining unblended mixture.
At this point, you can add a splash of cream to the sauce for extra richness. Sprinkle in some flour to help thicken the sauce, and then add the mascarpone. Stir everything together, and cook the sauce over low heat for about a minute. Finally, remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese.
Your mushroom sauce is now ready to be combined with the cooked ravioli. Simply toss the ravioli in the sauce, adding a little pasta water if needed to thin out the sauce and help it coat the ravioli. For an extra touch of flavour, garnish the dish with some freshly chopped herbs before serving.
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Cooking and serving
Making mushroom ravioli from scratch is a rewarding experience, but it does require time and patience. You will need a large, clutter-free work surface to roll out the pasta dough, and a ravioli cutter or a large knife to cut the dough into the desired shape. A ravioli stamp or mould can also be used to cut out the ravioli individually.
To make the pasta dough, place flour and salt on a flat surface, make a well in the middle, and add eggs. Slowly mix the flour and eggs together with your fingers or a fork until a smooth dough forms. Cover the dough and let it rest for about an hour.
Once the dough is ready, roll it out into thin sheets. The sheets can be cut into squares or folded over, depending on your preferred method. If cutting, use a pastry crimper to cut the dough into even squares. Then, fill each square with the mushroom filling, place another square on top, and close the sides with the pastry crimper. If folding, cut the sheet in half or into thirds, fold one sheet in half horizontally to create a light crease, unfold, and add the filling below the crease. Place the other sheet on top and seal the edges.
To make the mushroom filling, pulse mushrooms, shallots, and garlic in a food processor until minced, not blended. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and add mascarpone, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill the filling in the fridge before using.
To cook the ravioli, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli until al dente. Drain the ravioli and add to your desired sauce. You can make a simple butter sauce by melting butter in a pan with parsley and adding the cooked ravioli and a couple of tablespoons of pasta water. You can also make a mushroom sauce by cooking mushrooms, shallots or onions, and garlic until golden. Add oregano and parsley, then blend until creamy. Return the mixture to the pan, add cream and mascarpone, and stir in Parmesan.
Serve the ravioli immediately, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. You can also serve it with grilled chicken, salmon, asparagus, or baked trout. For a meatless option, serve it with a simple salad of spinach or arugula, or roasted vegetables like asparagus, Brussels sprouts, or broccoli.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need flour, eggs, salt, butter, mushrooms, onion, garlic, oregano, parsley, flour, cream, mascarpone, and Parmesan cheese. You can also add ricotta, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, and red pepper flakes.
You can use a mix of wild mushrooms such as baby bella, shiitake, white button, chestnut, cremini, oyster, or portobello mushrooms. For a more affordable option, you can use a combination of fresh brown mushrooms and dried porcini mushrooms.
On a flat surface, mix flour and salt, create a well in the middle and add the eggs. Slowly mix the flour and eggs with your fingers or a fork until a smooth dough forms. Cover and let rest for about an hour.
Cut the dough into even squares using a pastry crimper or ravioli cutter. Place a heaping teaspoon of the mushroom filling in the center of each square. Place another square on top and seal the sides with the pastry crimper or your fingers.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli until al dente or tender. Drain the ravioli and add to your sauce. You can also sauté the cooked ravioli in butter and parsley for extra flavor.
