Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe

There’s a special kind of magic in making pasta from scratch, but the true pinnacle of that craft is a perfect, delicate ravioli. That moment when you bite into a tender, yet resilient pouch, giving way to a burst of flavorful filling, it’s pure culinary joy. It all starts with the foundation: the dough.

This Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe is your key to unlocking that magic. Forget tough, chewy, or fragile pasta; this ravioli pasta dough, honed through years of testing, yields a dough that’s silky, supple, and strong enough to hold your favorite fillings without breaking. It’s simpler than you think, and the result is so superior to store-bought, you’ll never look back. Let’s roll up our sleeves and create something beautiful.

WHY THIS DOUGH WORKS (AND WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT)

This Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe is a trusted favorite for several brilliant reasons.

• First, it uses the classic 00 flour and egg ratio, which provides the ideal balance of tenderness and tensile strength needed for stuffed pasta.
• Second, the hand-mixed method gives you unparalleled control over the texture, allowing you to feel when the pasta dough is perfectly hydrated.
• Third, it includes a crucial, unhurried rest time, which relaxes the gluten for effortless rolling and prevents the dough from shrinking or becoming tough.
• Finally, this homemade ravioli dough recipe is forgiving and adaptable welcoming your touch, teaching you the timeless craft of pasta making.

You’ll love the process as much as the stunning, restaurant-quality results.

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED (INGREDIENTS)

Simplicity is the soul of great pasta. For this Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe, you need just three quality ingredients.

• 2 cups (250g) “00” Flour, plus more for dusting: “00” flour is finely milled Italian flour with a lower protein content than all-purpose, resulting in a more tender, delicate dough that remains strong. It’s ideal for stuffed pasta. *Note: If you can’t find “00” flour, a good substitute is 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour mixed with ¼ cup fine semolina flour.*
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature: The eggs bind the dough and add richness. Room temperature eggs incorporate more evenly into your ravioli dough.
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt: This seasons the dough from within, enhancing the flavor of both the pasta and the filling.

TOOLS YOU’LL WANT

You don’t need expensive equipment. Gather these basics: a large, clean work surface (wood or marble is ideal), a bench scraper, a fork, a rolling pin (or a manual pasta roller), a clean kitchen towel, a ravioli stamp or cutter, and a rimmed baking sheet dusted with semolina or flour.

STEP-BY-STEP: HOW TO MAKE RAVIOLI PASTA DOUGH RECIPE

Follow these tactile, rewarding steps to create your perfect dough for this Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe.

MAKE THE DOUGH

On your clean work surface, mound the flour and create a wide well in the center with your fingers. Crack the eggs into the well and add the salt. Using a fork, gently beat the eggs, gradually incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well. Continue until a shaggy, thick paste forms. At this point, use your hands and the bench scraper to bring all the flour and egg together into a cohesive mass. It will seem dry at first.

KNEAD THE DOUGH

Now, begin to knead your ravioli pasta dough. Use the heel of your hand to push the dough away from you, then fold it back over itself. Rotate and repeat. This process is key. Knead for 8-10 full minutes until the dough transforms from craggy and stiff to incredibly smooth, elastic, and barely sticky. If it feels too dry and won’t come together, dip your fingers in water and knead it in, drop by drop. If it’s sticky, dust with the tiniest bit of flour.

REST THE DOUGH

Wrap the smooth dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. This is non-negotiable for a perfect ravioli dough. Resting allows the gluten to relax, making the dough supple and easy to roll without springing back.

ROLL THE DOUGH

Unwrap the dough. If using a rolling pin, divide it into 4 pieces. Work with one piece at a time, keeping the others covered. Flatten it slightly with your hand, then roll from the center outward, rotating the dough often to maintain an even, thin sheet.

You’re aiming for paper-thin, about 1/16-inch thick. You should be able to see the shadow of your hand through it. If using a pasta machine, start at the widest setting and gradually work down to the second-thinnest setting.

FILL AND SHAPE THE RAVIOLI

Lay one sheet of dough from your Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe on a lightly floured surface. Place small mounds of your cooled filling in even rows, leaving about 1 ½ inches between them. Lightly brush the dough around the filling with water. Carefully drape a second sheet of pasta over the top.

Gently press down around each mound of filling, working from the center outward to push out any air pockets, which can cause ravioli to burst during cooking. Use a ravioli stamp, wheel cutter, or sharp knife to cut out individual ravioli. Press the edges firmly to seal. Transfer finished ravioli to the prepared baking sheet, dusted with semolina to prevent sticking.

COOK THE RAVIOLI

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a gentle boil (it should taste like the sea). Cook the ravioli in batches for 3-4 minutes. They are done when they float to the surface and the pasta dough is tender but still has a slight bite (al dente). Fresh pasta cooks very quickly.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR PERFECT RAVIOLI PASTA DOUGH RECIPE

Elevate your Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe with these expert secrets.

• First, trust the knead. A full 8-10 minutes of kneading by hand is what builds the gluten network for strong, silky ravioli dough.
• Second, do not skip the rest. It makes rolling infinitely easier.
• Third, keep unused dough covered at all times with a damp towel or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
• Finally, when filling, ensure your filling is completely cool to prevent it from making the dough soggy or causing condensation.

VARIATIONS YOU’LL ACTUALLY TRY

Once you master the classic egg Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe, the world is yours. For a vibrant spinach dough, replace one egg with 3 tablespoons of pureed, cooked, and thoroughly squeezed-dry spinach.

For a rich saffron dough, steep a large pinch of saffron threads in the eggs for 30 minutes before mixing. For a heartier whole-wheat ravioli dough, substitute ½ cup of the “00” flour with finely ground whole-wheat flour.

MAKE-AHEAD, STORAGE & FREEZING

This Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe is wonderfully flexible for planning. The wrapped dough ball can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours; let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.

Unfilled pasta sheets can be dried on a rack for 30 minutes, then stored in an airtight container with parchment between layers for 2 days. Uncooked, filled ravioli can be frozen in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transferred to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Cook directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the boil time.

TROUBLESHOOTING COMMON QUESTIONS

Let’s solve your ravioli pasta dough puzzles. 

• If your dough is too sticky: You may have added too much egg, or your flour was humid. Knead in more flour, a teaspoon at a time, until it’s smooth. 
• If it’s too dry and crumbly: The flour may have broken, or your eggs were small. Add water drop by drop until it comes together. 
• If the ravioli bursts during cooking, you may not have sealed the edges properly, or an air pocket was trapped inside. Press out all air and ensure a good seal with water. 
• If the dough is tough after cooking: It was likely over-kneaded or not rolled thin enough.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Fresh ravioli made with this homemade ravioli dough needs little adornment. Toss them gently in a simple sauce like melted butter with sage, a light tomato basil sauce, or a drizzle of good olive oil with cracked pepper and Parmigiano-Reggiano. They are the stars of the plate.

NUTRITION NOTES (QUICK)

This is a traditional, from-scratch pasta dough. For a different nutritional profile, you can use whole-grain flour, but the texture will be more rustic and less delicate.

MY STORY: WHY I ADORE THIS DOUGH

This Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe is my culinary heritage. I learned it at my grandmother’s counter, my small hands mimicking hers as we turned a simple mound of flour and eggs into delicate sheets that felt like silk. She taught me to listen to the dough with my hands, to feel when it had just enough water, when it was kneaded enough.

For her, this wasn’t just cooking; it was an act of love and patience. Now, every time I make this ravioli dough, I’m connected to that lineage. The rhythmic kneading is my meditation, and the shared meal is my joy. It’s a recipe that holds memory in every bite.

FINAL CHECKLIST BEFORE YOU START

Ready to create with this Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe? Check your list: “00” flour is measured. Eggs are at room temperature. The work surface is clean and dry. You have 60-90 minutes (mostly hands-off resting). Your favorite filling is prepared and cooled. The rolling pin or pasta machine is ready. Let’s make pasta.

RAVIOLI PASTA DOUGH RECIPE FAQS

Can I make this ravioli pasta dough in a stand mixer or food processor?
Yes. In a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix on low until a ball forms, then knead for 5-7 minutes. In a food processor, pulse the flour and eggs until crumbly, then process until it forms a ball. Knead by hand for a minute to finish. However, the hand-mixed method gives you the best feel for the pasta dough’s texture.

Why is my ravioli dough yellow/orange?
This is actually a good sign! It means your eggs had rich, vibrant yolks from pasture-raised hens, which will give your homemade ravioli dough beautiful color and flavor.

How thin should I really roll the dough from this Ravioli Pasta Dough Recipe?
For ravioli, you want it as thin as possible without tearing. When you hold it up, you should be able to faintly see the outline of your fingers through it. This ensures the cooked pasta dough is delicate and not doughy.