Basic Ricotta Ravioli Filling

A simple, well-seasoned ricotta filling sized for a single-egg fresh pasta dough (100 g flour + 1 egg). Makes about 200 g of filling.

Ingredients

• 175 g whole-milk ricotta, drained (see note)
• 20 g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 g (1/3 tsp) fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

1. Drain the ricotta. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth or a coffee filter and set it over a bowl. Add the ricotta and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Discard the liquid that collects.

2. Mix the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the drained ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, egg yolk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Stir with a spatula or fork until fully smooth and uniform.

3. Taste and adjust. The filling should taste assertively seasoned on its own — it will be diluted by the pasta and sauce. Add more salt or cheese as needed.

4. Chill before using. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before piping or spooning into pasta. A cold filling is much easier to portion and seals more cleanly.

Scaling

To scale up, hold these ratios:

• Ricotta: 175 g per 1-egg dough batch
• Parmigiano: ~12% of ricotta weight
• Egg yolk: 1 per ~250 g ricotta (round up)
• Salt: ~1.2% of ricotta weight