Ravioli Caprese have a pillowy, dumpling-like dough filled with mozzarella, caciotta cheese, eggs and fresh marjoram. They're unlike any other ravioli you've ever tried and if ravioli can melt in your mouth, they do!
Ravioli Caprese are so distinctly different from any other ravioli because of the way the dough is made, along with its unique filling. They were first made on the island of Capri off the coast of Italy near Naples.
The dough is soft and tender and almost the texture of a dumpling. The filling is made with a mixture of egg yolks, caciotta cheese (a galbanino similar to a Monterey Jack) and buffalo mozzarella. Perhaps the key ingredient in the filling that gives it its unique flavor is fresh marjoram. I pick it fresh just before I make the ravioli.
Ravioli Caprese are always served with a delicate tomato sauce made from fresh tomatoes, olive oil and just a touch of garlic. When served, the ravioli are sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and minced fresh marjoram.
The dough is made from flour, butter and boiling water...no eggs. I always make it by hand on my countertop but you can use a food processor or a mixer. Once the dough is made cover it with a dishtowel and allow to sit. The dough should be made well enough in advance so that there's time enough to let the dough sit for several hours to cool completely. It's not absolutely necessary to wait this amount of time but it certainly makes the dough infinitely more workable.
The dough is far too malleable and tender to cut the ravioli using a pasta machine; it must be done by hand. Place the dough on a well floured surface and use an elongated Italian pasta rolling pin to roll out the dough into a large circle.
Mound the filling onto the dough by teaspoonful, leaving enough space in between the filling to seal the individual ravioli.
Make sure you only cover half of your dough circle with ravioli filling; gently drape the other half of the dough on top of the ravioli.
Gently press your fingers onto the dough down in between each mound of filling to seal the dough.
Use a ravioli cutter to cut out the individual ravioli, then place them on a lightly floured dishtowel.
If you plan to freeze the ravioli for future use place the ravioli on a baking sheet or a pastry sheet, cover and freeze.
Ravioli Caprese
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
For the pasta:
400 grams flour
50 grams butter, melted
360 milliliters boiling water
For the filling:
300 grams unsalted fresh cheese (preferably caciotta galbanino, finely chopped (similar to a Monterey Jack)
150 grams mozzarella, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
Fresh marjoram, to taste, minced
For the sauce:
500 grams peeled tomatoes
80 milliliters olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
To serve the ravioli caprese:
30 grams freshly grated parmesan
3 tablespoons fresh marjoram leaves
Make It:
For the dough:
In a food processor or bowl thoroughly mix the flour, butter and water until you have a soft dough.
Cover and set aside to cool.
For the filling:
In a food processor, or by hand, finely chop and thoroughly blend the cheeses.
Mix with the egg and marjoram.
If you don't use a food processor finely grate or chop the cheeses and mince the marjoram before mixing the filling ingredients.
For the pasta:
Thinly roll out the pasta into two rectangles or a large circle.
Put a teaspoon of filling along one of the pasta rectangles (or half of the circle), about two inches (5 centimeters) apart.
If necessary, use a pastry brush to moisten the pasta dough around the filling.
Drape the remaining pasta on top and gently seal the pasta dough together around the filling.
Cut the individual ravioli using a ravioli cutter or a knife.
Place the ravioli on a lightly floured dishtowel to rest while you prepare the sauce.
At this point the ravioli can be frozen for future use (If you freeze the ravioli don't thaw them prior to cooking)
For the sauce:
In a heavy weight pan sauté the garlic in the olive oil until it sizzles (for 30 seconds to a minute).
Add the canned or fresh tomatoes, stir and cook covered on low to medium.
If you use fresh tomatoes cook the sauce until the tomatoes are just tender.
Stir the sauce occasionally to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Use a fork or 'potato masher to break up the tomatoes.
The sauce is done when some of the oil separates from the sauce and rises to the top (after about 20 minutes).
Add salt to taste.
Cooking and serving the pasta:
Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water for about two to three minutes. The water should taste like the sea.
Use a teardrop strainer to scoop out the ravioli as they're extremely delicate.
Place the ravioli caprese on a serving dish and delicately fold in the sauce.
Top with additional sauce, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and minced fresh marjoram.
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 400 grams flour
- 50 grams butter melted
- 360 milliliters boiling water
For the filling:
- 300 grams unsalted fresh cheese like caciotta galbanino Can substitute with Monterey Jack
- 150 grams mozzarella finely chopped
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 3 tbsp Fresh marjoram to taste, minced
For the sauce:
- 500 grams peeled tomatoes
- 80 milliliters olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
To serve the ravioli caprese:
- 30 grams freshly grated parmesan
- 3 tablespoons fresh marjoram leaves
Instructions
For the dough:
- In a food processor or bowl thoroughly mix the flour, butter and water until you have a soft dough.
- Cover and set aside to cool, or refrigerate overnight.
For the filling:
- Finely chop the cheeses, then mix with the egg and marjoram.
- If you don't use a food processor to chop the cheeses and mince the marjoram be sure to do it well by hand before mixing the filling ingredients together.
For the pasta:
- Thinly roll out the pasta into two rectangles or a large circle.
- Put a teaspoon of filling along one of the pasta rectangles (or half of the circle), about two inches (5 centimeters) apart.
- If necessary, use a pastry brush to moisten the pasta dough around the filling.
- Drape the remaining pasta on top and gently seal the pasta dough together around the filling.
- Cut the individual ravioli using a ravioli cutter or a knife.
- Place the ravioli on a lightly floured dishtowel to rest while you prepare the sauce.
- At this point the ravioli can be frozen for future use (If you freeze the ravioli do not thaw them prior to cooking)
For the sauce:
- In a heavy weight pan sauté the garlic in the olive oil until it sizzles (for 30 seconds to a minute).
- Add the canned or fresh tomatoes, stir and cook covered on low to medium.
- If you use fresh tomatoes cook the sauce until the tomatoes are just tender.
- Stir the sauce occasionally to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Use a fork or potato masher to break up the tomatoes.
- The sauce is done when some of the oil separates from the sauce and rises to the top (after about 20 minutes).
- Add salt to taste.
Cooking and serving the pasta:
- Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water for about two to three minutes.
- Use a teardrop strainer to scoop out the pasta as they're extremely delicate.
- Place the ravioli caprese on a serving dish and delicately fold in the sauce.
- Top with additional sauce, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and minced fresh marjoram.
Nutrition
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I was thinking of making these just the other day. I was watching part of a TV programme on the Gambero Rosso Channel, a famous chef from Campania who was visiting Capri and wanted to 'update' the ravioli caprese chez the restaurant "Gemma". Thank you for very very good instructions !
They’re absolutely the most delicious ravioli! I’m glad you like the recipe & find the instructions clear!