Red ravioli with butter and sage, I would say it’s more of an intense purple because I used peeled beetroot and pureed it in the mixer. In our gastronomic tradition, the king of dishes is certainly pasta, the main course, and not as many believe, the appetizer, which is more of an international derivation classifying the appetizer as a main dish. Homemade pasta is a true family ritual passed down from generation to generation. Making homemade pasta is an ancient tradition that today is increasingly difficult for women, especially with time running short, but the pleasure of preparing and serving steaming ravioli made by us is still a great satisfaction and not that difficult, I might add.

- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients to prepare the red ravioli dough
- 4.6 oz boiled beetroot
- 1.6 cups flour
- 4.2 oz cooked, boiled spinach
- 10.6 oz sheep ricotta
- 1 tsp pisto
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.8 oz grated parmesan
- 3.5 oz butter
- 3.5 oz grated parmesan
- 10 leaves sage
Tools needed to prepare butter and sage ravioli
- Mixer
- Pastry Board
- Cookie Cutter
- Skillet
- Pot
- Pasta Maker
- Food Brush
- Teaspoon
- Fork
- Plastic Wrap
Steps to prepare red ravioli with butter and sage
To color the dough for the red ravioli, I used pre-cooked beetroot that I find in the refrigerated section of the supermarket, vacuum-packed and very convenient, ready to be used immediately. I peeled the beetroot and pureed it in the mixer.
On the pastry board, place the flour in a mound and make a hole in the center.
Add the beetroot puree and
slowly start to mix and combine the two ingredients with a fork. The filling for ravioli is usually quite substantial, so I don’t add eggs to the red dough, maybe a little water if necessary.
Keep kneading with your hands
until the dough becomes smooth and homogeneous.
Let the dough rest covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
In the meantime, prepare the filling. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the chopped spinach, parmesan, and salt.
Roll out the dough with a rolling pin or, if you prefer, with the pasta maker to a thickness of 1/16 inch and cut it into rectangular strips at least 4 inches wide.
Use a teaspoon to scoop small portions of filling and place them on the pasta sheet in the center, spaced at least 2 inches apart.
With a food brush, moisten the pasta around the filling with water, fold the pasta over, and press the edges together with your fingers. Use the cookie cutter to cut the ravioli into half-moons and seal with the tines of a fork.
Cook in salted boiling water for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to drain the ravioli and, a few at a time, transfer them to a skillet with melted butter and sage.
Add the grated parmesan and serve.