Making these always turns the kitchen into a little workshop — flour on the counter, sleeves rolled up, me talking to the dough like it can hear me. Filling? Ricotta and well-wrung spinach, salt, pepper, the lightest shave of nutmeg. Sometimes a spoon of grated cheese or a scrape of lemon peel sneaks in. You’ll know it’s there when the flavor clicks. It should be creamy and mild so the pasta doesn’t get bullied.
I roll the sheets thin, spoon little mounds, and seal them up — water works, beaten egg if I’m feeling proper. A few crooked edges? Fine. They cook in salted water for just a couple of minutes; don’t wander off. While that’s happening, a pan of butter sits on gentle heat until it foams and smells a bit nutty, then in go the sage leaves for a quick hiss. Off the heat they come — no burning allowed.
Ravioli go straight from the pot to the butter with a splash of their cooking water. Toss-toss, done. The sauce clings, the sage does its quiet thing, and everything smells like you tried harder than you actually did. Shower of Parmesan, crack of pepper, maybe a whisper of lemon if it feels heavy. Serve right away — I usually just bring the pan to the table. Soft pillows, buttery-herby edges… kind of like a tiny trattoria, minus the bill.
For the pasta dough
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300 g
all-purpose flour
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3
eggs
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1 tbsp
olive oil
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1 pinch
salt
For the filling
For the sage butter sauce
Author
Mario Kapustic
Hi! I’m Mario from Croatia. I love cooking and sharing recipes that combine tradition with creativity. I started Tasty Empire to share my family’s recipes — the ones from Mom and Grandma — and all the little tricks I’ve picked up along the way. I especially enjoy pasta, risottos, homemade breads, and desserts, always looking for little ways to enrich flavors.
Prepare the pasta dough
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Mix dough
On a clean surface, form a well in the flour. Add eggs, olive oil, and salt. Mix gradually until dough forms.
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Knead
Knead for about 8–10 minutes until smooth. Wrap in cling film and rest for 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling
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Mix filling
In a bowl, combine ricotta, chopped spinach, Parmesan, egg yolk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth.
Shape the ravioli
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Roll pasta
Divide dough into two pieces and roll out thin sheets.
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Fill and cut
Place small spoonfuls of filling on one sheet, cover with the second sheet, press around filling, and cut into ravioli squares.
Cook and finish
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Cook ravioli
Boil ravioli in salted water for 3–4 minutes until they float.
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Prepare sage butter
In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sage leaves and let them sizzle until the butter is fragrant and slightly browned.
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Toss ravioli
Transfer cooked ravioli directly into the sage butter. Toss gently to coat, then serve with Parmesan.
Note: You can prepare the ravioli in advance and freeze them; just cook a few minutes longer straight from frozen.
Updated: August 30, 2025