Description
Homemade Tuscan ravioli delivers authentic Italian comfort with ricotta and spinach nestled in delicate pasta pockets. Cheese melts, herbs infuse flavor, and diners savor each carefully crafted bite of regional culinary tradition.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 packages ravioli (9–10 oz/255–283 g)
- 1 cup (240 ml/8 fl oz) heavy cream
- 1 cup (60 g) fresh baby spinach, packed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps (28 g) butter
- ¼ cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock
- ⅓ cup (53 g) sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil (reserve 1 tbsp oil)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml/0.5 fl oz) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Basil, for topping
Instructions
- Boiling Preparation: Bring a generously salted pot of water to a vigorous boil, then immerse ravioli, cooking slightly less than package instructions suggest. Drain pasta, preserving its delicate texture.
- Sauce Foundation: Melt butter and sun-dried tomato oil in a spacious sauté pan over medium heat, creating a fragrant base. Introduce minced garlic, sautéing until its aroma intensifies, approximately 30 seconds.
- Sauce Development: Incorporate onion powder, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, chicken stock, heavy cream, and sun-dried tomatoes. Whisk the mixture, allowing it to simmer and transform into a silky, unified sauce within 1-2 minutes.
- Ravioli Integration: Gently fold drained ravioli into the simmering sauce, ensuring each pasta pocket receives an even, luxurious coating. Let the sauce slightly thicken, concentrating flavors and creating a harmonious texture.
- Final Touches: Sprinkle fresh spinach and torn basil leaves across the dish, briefly covering to allow greens to wilt and release their vibrant essence. Complete the dish by generously garnishing with freshly grated parmesan cheese, adding a final layer of rich, tangy complexity.
Notes
- Optimize Pasta Cooking: Cook ravioli slightly less than package instructions to prevent overcooking, ensuring a perfectly al dente texture that maintains the pasta’s delicate structure.
- Master Sauce Technique: Sauté garlic briefly to unlock intense flavor without burning, creating a foundational aromatic base that elevates the entire dish’s complexity.
- Balance Cream-Based Sauce: Whisk continuously while simmering to prevent sauce separation and achieve a smooth, silky consistency that clings beautifully to each ravioli.
- Herb Wilting Strategy: Add fresh spinach and basil at the end to preserve their vibrant color, delicate texture, and maximize their aromatic impact on the final presentation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 525
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg