RAVIOLI WITH WALNUT SAUCE
Ravioli with Walnut Sauce is an elegant and much-loved first course, a true icon of Ligurian cuisine.
Although the generic name “Ravioli” is the most searched and known, the real star of this preparation is the Pansoti (or Pansotti), a typical fresh stuffed pasta originating from Liguria.
Why do we talk about Pansoti? Because their traditional shape (crescent or dumpling) is specifically designed to enhance the filling.
Don’t worry: the filling and the dressing are the same, and if you prefer, you can give it the classic square shape of ravioli or even the simpler triangle shape.
What matters is the substance: a rich filling of herbs and ricotta that pairs divinely with the Walnut Sauce.
This recipe is designed to be foolproof regardless of the shape you give the pasta, ensuring the crispness of the filling and the perfect emulsion of the sauce.
Prepare them and bring to the table a first course that combines the simplicity of a no-cook sauce with the authentic taste of tradition.
Ravioli with Walnut Sauce: The Procedure in 5 Key Points
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 734.70 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 58.34 (g) of which sugars 5.03 (g)
- Proteins 22.90 (g)
- Fat 47.60 (g) of which saturated 7.09 (g)of which unsaturated 5.15 (g)
- Fibers 3.15 (g)
- Sodium 524.80 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
INGREDIENTS needed to prepare PANSOTTI with WALNUT SAUCE
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup water (room temperature)
- 2 tbsps white wine
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 1.76 lbs borage (and chard in equal quantities)
- 6.35 oz prescinseua (or cow ricotta cheese)
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1.76 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- to taste marjoram
- 1 pinch fine salt
- to taste nutmeg
- 8.82 oz walnuts (shelled)
- 1 2/3 cups whole milk
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- crumb (of 1 roll)
- 1.76 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic
- 1.06 oz pine nuts
- 1 sprig marjoram
- to taste coarse salt
Tools
- Pasta Maker
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry Wheel
- Mixer
- Pot
HOW TO PREPARE LIGURIAN PANSOTTI WITH WALNUT SAUCE
Below you will find step-by-step instructions to prepare fresh pasta, the filling of these typical Genoese ravioli, how to shape them, and finally instructions for the seasoning. However, if you don’t feel like or don’t have time to tackle making the Pansoti, but still want to taste this simple yet tasty recipe, you can buy fresh pasta already made and prepare only the dressing!
Pour the flour onto a work surface in a mound, create a well in the center, and add the eggs and a pinch of salt. Start kneading by hand until the eggs are absorbed. Add the white wine and continue kneading. Then add the water slowly, continuing to knead vigorously. Form a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Traditionally a mix of wild spontaneous herbs (prebuggiùn in Ligurian dialect) would be used, but for practicality, we will use a mix of herbs and borage. Clean the herbs by removing the tougher stems, cut them into strips, and boil them in water for 3-4 minutes. Drain and transfer them to cold water to maintain the bright green color, squeeze them, then finely chop with a knife.
Put the cooked and chopped herbs, the ricotta (or prescinseua), the grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 egg in a bowl 27. Add a pinch of nutmeg and one of fine salt. Mix to combine and set aside.
After the resting time, take the dough, take a piece and start passing it through the roller of the pasta machine starting from the largest thickness. Continue to pass it reducing the thickness until you get fairly thin strips of pasta. Use a pastry wheel to cut squares of about 3 inches per side from each strip. Using a teaspoon, place a bit of filling in the center of each square.
To shape the pansoti, you can choose two methods: the simplest, which consists of simply giving them a triangle shape, or the traditional pansotto shape that resembles a large tortellini. To do this, lightly brush the edges of the pasta, then close it into a triangle. You can stop here or, after closing it into a triangle, fold the tip and join the two ends sealing them well to get the Pansoti.
First, cut the crumb into cubes and transfer it with the milk into a bowl. Work it with a fork or your hands until the crumb has absorbed the milk and you have a grainy cream. Transfer the soaked bread to the blender jar. Add all the other ingredients: walnut kernels, a pinch of coarse salt, 1 clove of garlic cut and with the central core removed, pine nuts, marjoram, grated Parmesan cheese, and finally the extra virgin olive oil. Start blending and continue until you have obtained a smooth and homogeneous cream. Taste and adjust the salt. The walnut sauce is ready!
Now all that’s left is to cook the Pansotti. Put a pot with plenty of water on the fire and bring it to a boil, salt it, and when it’s ready, cook the pansoti for about 7 minutes. Drain them, keeping a little cooking water that you will use to slightly dilute the walnut sauce. Put them on a serving plate or directly in the bowl with the dressing with a spoonful of pasta water, mix gently to season, and serve immediately, sprinkling with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
NOTES AND TIPS for the WALNUT SAUCE
WALNUTS: The walnut sauce is a simple recipe made with very few ingredients, among which Walnuts are the protagonists. Make sure to buy quality walnuts, preferably of Italian origin, as foreign ones are often too oily. If you can’t find them shelled, you can also buy them with the shell, as long as the total amount of shelled walnuts is 250 g. Do not peel them because in this recipe the walnut skin gives the sauce its particular color and flavor, which are the characteristics of this recipe.
MILK: The amount of milk to add changes depending on the type of bread used in the recipe. Sandwich bread and pancarré will absorb a lot of milk, while if using stale bread like we did, a little more milk will be needed.
GARLIC: The original walnut sauce recipe includes garlic, which is only slightly perceptible in terms of flavor overall. However, if you are allergic, intolerant, or simply do not like garlic, you can omit it.
WALNUTS: The walnut sauce is a simple recipe made with very few ingredients, among which Walnuts are the protagonists. Make sure to buy quality walnuts, preferably of Italian origin, as foreign ones are often too oily. If you can’t find them shelled, you can also buy them with the shell, as long as the total amount of shelled walnuts is 250 g. Do not peel them because in this recipe the walnut skin gives the sauce its particular color and flavor, which are the characteristics of this recipe.
MILK: The amount of milk to add changes depending on the type of bread used in the recipe. Sandwich bread and pancarré will absorb a lot of milk, while if using stale bread like we did, a little more milk will be needed.
GARLIC: The original walnut sauce recipe includes garlic, which is only slightly perceptible in terms of flavor overall. However, if you are allergic, intolerant, or simply do not like garlic, you can omit it.
PANSOTTI NOTES AND TIPS
EGGS: Fresh pasta, in Genoese tradition, is usually prepared with few eggs.
WHITE WINE: The pansoti recipe includes white wine which gives the dough a particular aroma.
HERBS: I recommend cutting/chopping the herbs with a knife to retain the pleasantly bitter taste they release.
RICOTTA: The original pansotti recipe includes the use of prescinseua in the filling, a traditional Genoese curd, which, however, due to its difficulty in finding, can be replaced with cow ricotta.
STORAGE
Fresh pasta, once ready, should be used immediately or at most after a few hours. Raw pansoti can be frozen. Walnut sauce can be stored in the fridge for two days. You can freeze it and thaw it at room temperature.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Why did the Walnut Sauce separate or become too oily?
This often happens when the mixer overheats. To properly emulsify: blend at low speed, stopping often. Always add the oil slowly and in a stream, and if it separates, try adding an ice cube or a teaspoon of hot water to stabilize the emulsion.
Why do the Ravioli open during cooking?
The two main reasons are: 1) You haven’t sealed the pasta edges well (use a little water on the edges to fix) or 2) The filling is too moist. Important: Always squeeze the herbs thoroughly, even with a cloth, to remove any excess liquid
Can I make Walnut Sauce without milk?
Yes, walnut sauce can be prepared in a vegan or lactose-free version. You can replace whole milk with unsweetened soy milk or simply with an equivalent amount of pasta cooking water, to soften and blend the bread.
