If I was suggesting a first time filled pasta cooking experience this easy ravioli in a white wine butter sauce would be it. Ravioli molds are super fun and if you have one, great! I give alternatives below so do whatever you would like in terms of shape, there are no rules. The easy and quick ricotta filling goes perfectly with the garlicy white wine butter sauce. Infused with thyme for extra flavour and finished with some crispy sourdough croutons. Does it get any better?!
Ravioli in a white wine butter sauce
Hello! I am always trying to come up with simple recipes that even a beginner pasta maker could achieve. When broken down this ravioli in a white wine butter sauce is really simple and really achievable. A simple ricotta filling is such a quick and easy way to go when you are making filled pasta. This addictive white wine butter sauce is based on my easy white wine and butter pasta sauce that you should definitely try! I have used a ravioli mold by my pal John Francis Designs which are SO fun and I highly recommend getting. If you don't have one then there are so many other shapes to try including triangoli or cappelletti. If you don't want to use wine then check out my guide to the best butter sauce for pasta for a couple of other options.
The ravioli in white wine butter sauce in steps
If you aren't used to making dishes like this, it may seem really daunting. I promise you, you can do this! You will feel so proud of yourself and your family and friends will love you forever! Let's break it down into elements.
THE CROUTONS - These are optional but really do add such a delicious crunch to the dish. You could make these the day before to cut down on labour on the day.
THE PASTA - You'll need to make my easy homemade pasta dough. It's a fool proof method that ensures a lovely smooth dough every time.
THE FILLING - While the pasta is resting you can make the filling. It's all just mixed together, you can use a little mini food processor if you like. I like to put it in a piping bag (or a snaplock with the corner cut off). It seems chefy and fancy but it's actually so much easier to pipe blobs of the filling rather than using a spoon. Chilling the filling makes filled shapes easier to fold as the filling is harder and won't squish out as easy.
SHAPING THE PASTA - You can shape the ravioli however you like. I have outlined a few options below. As you make them place them on a tray lined with baking paper and dusted with course semolina. If you would like to get ahead you could make these ahead and freeze them. Make sure you check out my guide on how to store ravioli.
MAKING THE SAUCE - This sauce is really easy, white wine is reduced down then butter is added for a glossy thickened sauce. Timing is relatively straight forward. Get a big pot of water on to boil before starting the sauce. Start the sauce then drop the pasta in when you are reducing the wine down. It should work out that when you have finished adding the butter to the sauce, the pasta will be done.
ASSEMBLING THE DISH - Divide the ravioli and croutons between the plates and spoon the sauce over top. Finish with some fresh thyme leaves, grated parmesan and a crack of black pepper. Yum!
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Ravioli shape options for the white wine butter sauce
I really do recommend checking out ravioli molds. They are SO easy and quick to use and look really impressive. Some other options:
Triangoli
This is such a simple shape, you make squares and fold them in half. I have a full recipe for triangoli with a simple ricotta filling so check that out if you like the look of these.
Cappelletti
This is one of my favourite shapes, it's so simple to fold but looks really impressive! I have some reels on instagram of folding so check that out! The pictures below are from a delicious mushroom filled recipe I did for Trinity Hill Wines.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave me a review down below and let me know what you thought! I love to hear any changes or adaptions you have made too. Also if you put a photo on instagram, please tag me so I can see, it makes my day!
Recipe
Ravioli in a white wine butter sauce
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Ingredients
FOR THE PASTA
FOR THE FILLING
- 250 g ricotta
- 40 g parmesan finely grated
- Zest of a small lemon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste don't be shy!
FOR THE SAUCE
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 - 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ¾ cup white wine I used a Sauvignon Blanc
- 3 - 4 sprigs thyme
- 110 g butter divided into four cubes
- Salt and pepper to taste
TO FINISH THE DISH
- 16 - 20 sourdough croutons I shave really thin wedges with a sharp knife (I allow around 4 per person)
- Fresh thyme leaves and parmesan
Instructions
FOR THE CROUTONS
- Preheat the oven to 180c (350f)
- Cut small wedges as thin as you can, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with a touch of sea salt.
- Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 mins until crisp and golden at the edges. Keep a close eye on them they can turn quickly if you've cut them really thin.
FOR THE RAVIOLI
- Make the pasta dough and while it is resting make the filling.
- Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Transfer to a piping bag or leave in the bowl, cover and chill until ready to use.
- Roll the dough out, I go to setting 6 on my marcato roller or 7 on my kitchen aid attachment.
- Make whatever ravioli shape you like (see my notes above on some different options). I use about 1 tsp filling per ravioli.
- Place the finished pasta shapes on a lined baking tray dusted with course semolina. Loosely cover with cling film while you are making them and waiting to cook.
FOR THE SAUCE
- Before you start the sauce, get a big pot of well salted water boiling. The pasta will take 4 - 5 mins to cook so you can drop them in half way through the wine reducing.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large fry pan, big enough to fit all the pasta in at the end.
- Fry the garlic for 30 seconds or so, moving it round so it doesn't brown.
- Add the wine and thyme and gently simmer for around 4- 5 minutes until it is slightly reduced. Add the pasta into the water now and cook for 4 - 5 mins until cooked to your liking.
- Add the butter one piece at a time, letting it melt completely in between each addition. You want to be whisking the sauce through this whole stage to make sure the butter emulsifies into the wine.
- After the last addition you should end up with a lovely silky butter sauce.
- Add ¼ cup of pasta water and whisk well to combine. It should just be gently bubbling on a medium/medium low heat.
- Add the pasta shapes into the butter and toss to coat.
- Plate the pasta and sourdough pieces and top with spoonfuls of the butter sauce, fresh thyme leaves and parmesan. A nice crack of black pepper on top never goes astray.
Notes
- Timing the pasta cooking and sauce is always a tricky balance. The more you make dishes like this the easier it becomes so don't stress if it doesn't go perfectly the first time. I know ravioli take around 4 - 5 mins to cook so I try and work out at what point to drop them into the water in the sauce process.
- The thyme in the wine is to infuse the flavour, I like to also add fresh thyme leaves to the finished dish.
- Add more pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce.
- Season the butter sauce to taste
Emma says
First homemade pasta recipe I ever tried to make! I’ve got lots of room for improvement but the recipe itself was super simply and absolutely amazing!! Made it for a friend and I and we devoured the whole pan.
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Emma, that was an ambitious dish if you haven't made pasta before! Go you! You'll learn more each time 🙂