Fish Ravioli Recipe: A Delightful Seafood Twist for Your Pasta Night
If you’re craving something special and indulgent for your next pasta night, these Fish Ravioli will certainly impress. Delicate homemade ravioli filled with a flavorful mixture of shrimp, smoked salmon, ricotta, and a hint of brandy, all perfectly complemented by a rich, aromatic tomato sauce. This dish is not only a treat for the taste buds but also a fun, hands-on experience for anyone who enjoys the art of cooking from scratch.
This recipe makes 6 servings, and with a little patience and the right technique, you’ll have beautiful, flavorful fish ravioli ready to delight your guests or family.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 00 Flour | 300g |
| Eggs | 3 |
| Smoked Salmon | 100g |
| Shrimp | 250g |
| Ricotta Cheese | 200g |
| Thyme | To taste |
| Brandy | 5g |
| Nutmeg | To taste |
| Black Pepper | To taste |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil | As needed |
| Garlic | 1 clove |
| Tomato Passata | 200g |
| Sea Salt | To taste |
| Black Pepper | To taste |
| Heavy Cream | 50g |
Instructions
1. Making the Ravioli Dough:
To start, sift the 00 flour into a large bowl. Then, transfer it onto a clean, flat surface. Make a well in the center of the flour and crack the eggs into it. Using your hands or a fork, gently start incorporating the flour into the eggs. Mix thoroughly until the dough begins to come together. If the dough feels too sticky or soft, add a little extra flour — about 40-50g — until the dough reaches a smooth consistency.
Once the dough is formed, knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface until you have a smooth and elastic dough ball. This process can take about 10-15 minutes, so be patient and ensure the dough is homogenous.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. This resting time will help the gluten relax, making it easier to roll out the dough.
2. Preparing the Seafood Filling:
While the dough rests, prepare the seafood filling. Start by peeling and deveining the shrimp. To do this, cut off the head, remove the shell, and pull off the legs. Gently remove the black vein running along the back of each shrimp, ensuring it’s clean.
Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic clove (whole, unpeeled) and let it infuse the oil for about a minute. Once the garlic has flavored the oil, remove it and add the shrimp to the pan. Sauté the shrimp for about a minute on each side until they turn pink and opaque.
Deglaze the pan with brandy, allowing the alcohol to evaporate and the shrimp to absorb the flavors. Once the shrimp are cooked, transfer them to a food processor.
To the shrimp, add the smoked salmon, ricotta cheese, nutmeg, and a few leaves of thyme. Season with black pepper to taste and pulse the mixture in the food processor until smooth. If the mixture seems too thick, you can add a little bit of water or olive oil to loosen it. Set the filling aside.
3. Rolling and Assembling the Ravioli:
Once the dough has rested, divide it into two equal portions. Roll each portion of dough out on a floured surface using a rolling pin, or if you have a pasta machine, run it through the machine, gradually thinning it out until you reach a thin, even sheet (about 1-2mm thick).
Take one sheet of dough and lay it flat on a ravioli mold or a clean, lightly floured surface. Spoon small dollops of the seafood filling onto the dough, leaving space between each mound (about 1 tsp per raviolo). Once you’ve placed the filling, gently cover it with the second sheet of dough.
Press down around each mound of filling to seal the ravioli, making sure the edges are tightly sealed to prevent any filling from escaping during cooking. Use a ravioli cutter or a knife to cut out individual ravioli, trimming away any excess dough.
4. Cooking the Ravioli:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Once the water is boiling, carefully drop the ravioli into the pot. Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until they float to the surface. The cooking time will vary slightly depending on the thickness of your dough, so be sure to check the texture of the pasta — it should be tender yet firm.
While the ravioli cook, prepare the sauce. Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add a whole clove of garlic and cook it for a minute until it becomes fragrant. Remove the garlic and pour in the tomato passata. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken.
Once the sauce has simmered, pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine. This will give the sauce a creamy texture that complements the delicate seafood filling. Let the sauce simmer for another 2-3 minutes until everything is heated through and well incorporated.
5. Assembling the Dish:
Once the ravioli are done, gently remove them from the pot using a slotted spoon and transfer them to the pan with the sauce. Toss the ravioli in the sauce carefully to coat each piece without breaking them.
Garnish with a few fresh thyme leaves for an extra pop of flavor and freshness.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve your homemade fish ravioli immediately while hot, with an extra sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper if desired. The creamy tomato sauce will enhance the delicate flavors of the seafood filling, making this dish a showstopper at any dinner table.
For a complete meal, pair your ravioli with a crisp white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc or a Vermentino, which will balance the richness of the cream and the savory notes of the fish.
Nutritional Information (per serving)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 450 |
| Carbohydrates | 45g |
| Protein | 25g |
| Fat | 20g |
| Saturated Fat | 5g |
| Cholesterol | 130mg |
| Sodium | 800mg |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Sugar | 4g |
This fish ravioli dish is a wonderful balance of rich seafood flavors, light creaminess, and fresh thyme accents. The process may take a bit of time, but the result is worth every minute spent in the kitchen. Perfect for a special occasion or simply when you want to impress your loved ones with something extraordinary.
