Uova da Raviolo, Ravioli with an egg yolk inside

Sometimes almost all I think about is about food and sometimes I seem to have a severe lack of inspiration. Lately inspiration seems to have been slightly lacking. I did the pop up and was inspired but I brought dishes I have cooked and tried before. I needed something new. I needed to challenge myself.
A while back I got a pasta machine. I usually roll my pasta by hand but it is hard work and it takes time. I was delighted with my new tool but I used it once and then made room for it in my cupboard. I was talking to a friend and we got talking about pasta. She is an absolute foodie and was talking about pasta she had seen with herbs inside and had been thinking about how they did it. Long after she left I was thinking about it and I knew I had to try and figure out how this was done. Some research told me it is also called handkerchief pasta, what a pretty name!
I don’t eat pasta very often but I get a craving every now and then. I prefer fresh pasta but the store bought one is often a little to thick for my taste and it tastes better if you make your own. It was clearly time to get the pasta machine out and start experimenting.
What shape pasta do you prefer? I prefer tagliatelle to spaghetti but I know it is the same ingredients, how can this be? Either way I love ravioli, it is a perfect little food parcel and you can put any filling you like inside. What is there not to like?!
The other day I saw an image on Instagram, unfortunately I didn’t save it and I can’t remember who did it, I follow many chefs and food artists but I knew I had to make it. It has a romantic sounding Italian name, Uova da Raviolo. Translated it means ravioli with a runny egg yolk inside. That is what I call a challenge and here is my version. I did some research and usually ricotta is being used but I thought feta cheese would have more flavour and add a bit of texture as well.
I have tried different pasta dough, they are all pretty much the same but with some variants and my absolute favourite, perfect ever time, is Gennaro Contaldo’s pasta dough, simple, easy to work with and there is no need to look any further! For the full recipe have a look at his YouTube video.
Uova da Raviolo
preparation time 20 minutes + 1 hr minimum resting time (the pasta dough will keep up to 3 days in the fridge)
cooking time 5 minutes
serves 3
Ingredients
- pasta dough (Gennaro’s is for 4 but you will have some wastage so make the whole recipe for 3)
- fresh parsley or herb of choice, pick the prettiest leafs
- 100 gr or 3.5 oz feta cheese
- 2 tbsp creme fraiche
- 6 eggs, yolk only
- 100 gr or 3.5 oz butter
- parsley, the leafs only, make sure they are dry
- crushed chilli
Place the crumbled feta cheese and creme fraiche in a food processor and mix until the feta is almost smooth. Set aside.
Roll the pasta until you reach the thinnest stage. Place the pasta on a cutting board and place parsley leaves on top.
Fold the dough over.
Roll the dough again and you will have a beautiful pasta.
Cut out rounds for the ravioli, big enough to hold both the cheese and the egg yolk. Place feta cheese on top and make a hollow in the middle with enough room for the egg yolk.
Place the egg yolk inside the feta cheese.
Very carefully wet the edges with a little water and gently ” glue” the top and the bottom sheets of pasta for the ravioli. Carefully make sure there is no air in the ravioli and place the ready made raviolis on a little semolina until you are ready to start cooking.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and gently slide the ravioli in. Don’t do them all in one go, they will only take a minute each. They are done when they come up to the surface.
I clarified the butter before adding parsley to crisp it up and crushed chilli before plating up. I added pork tenderloin for M to make it more of a meal. The nervous moment was when I cut in to the pasta but the egg yolk came running out!
I had two cut out extra pasta rounds that I boiled in the pasta water, drained and then crisped them up in the butter and served them as well for additional texture.
It was a new dish for me and it has already made it on to my list of favourites. I will do another trial run and invite more friends to see if I could serve this one evening. Two ravioli each was perfect. I loved the flavours, the feta cheese complimented the runny egg yolk and the pasta perfectly and the hint of chilli lifted the dish. Home made pasta is such a treat, I might get addicted to it!
I am bringing some to the lovely Angie’s Fiesta Friday, this is the 131st party and if you have cooked, are looking for inspiration or just want to see some gorgeous recipes come and join us! This week there are two co hosts Su, Su’s Healthy Living, a blog full of healthy and delicious treats and Laura from Feast Wisely who has brought us a delicious sounding Eggplant & coconut curry with black cardamom.
I’ve never seen an egg like that in a ravioli – looks absolutely delightful!! I must get myself a pasta machine! 🙂
hi Linda
thank you! I used to roll my pasta but it isn’t the same and this is so much easier! I had heard of the dish but when I saw it I just knew I had to make it! I have to say it was so delicious and I liked it so much I invited friends over tomorrow so I can do it again! 🙂 Happy Fiesta Friday and have a great weekend!
That’s an awesome excuse to have friends over!! Have fun – and eat well! 🙂
ha ha I thought so! 🙂 x
What a piece of art! Wonderful!
Hi Steffi, thank you so much! Have a great weekend, sunshine forecasted! 🙂 x
Incredible Petra beautifully done. I loved the video, he is adorable. Now you inspired me to make some pasta! Your egg yolk was just perfect 😃😃😃😃😃
hi Suzanne
Thank you! The video is so great and the pasta perfect every time, amazing! And Gennaro inspired me to make this pasta and I inspire you, that is so great! 🙂 The egg yolk in the pasta was delicious! 🙂 xx
This Ravioli is great!! Your egg yolks😙😙 and a great photograph!!
Hi Sumith
Thank you! The egg yolks were a treat and I am glad you like the photograph. I am so glad you stopped by! 🙂
That looks amazing. Have never tried egg yolks in ravioli. Looks delicious! #FiestaFriday
hi Ahila
Thank you. I hadn’t tried it before and when I saw it I just knew I needed to give it a go and make it. The egg yolk, pasta and the feta cheese together was a treat 🙂 Happy Fiesta Friday!
Outstanding dish, Petra! I’ve always been intrigued with recipes like this…bravo to you for accomplishing a “not so easy” task!
hi Nancy
Thank you! I knew I had to give it a go when I saw the photograph on Instagram and I am so happy it worked out! They are so delicate but well worth making 🙂
Petra, I am not really a pasta person but your Uova da Raviolo has me mesmerized. I love the way you have stuffed the ravioli with egg yolk! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday!
hi Su
I am not usually a pasta person either but this pasta is so light. The ravioli with the soft egg yolk was a treat and I have to admit I did a sigh of relief when I cut in to the ravioli and the yolk poured out! 🙂 Thank you for co hosting Fiesta Friday! 🙂
Just Wow!
Hi Su
Thank you 🙂
Wow, Petra! This is such an impressive dish! It looks amazing – I would be so worried that my raviolis would burst in the water as they were cooking!
hi Julianna
Thank you!!! That is a wonderful comment 🙂
I was worried about it but even when the pasta had a small tear the egg yolk stayed intact, a little bit of magic… I have made ravioli before where they exploded but these were very well behaved! Am now wondering if I could make them for the next pop up! 🙂 Have a great week! x
Absolutely gorgeous! I love the pressed parsley leaf. It makes it look like a work of art.
hi Lily
Thank you!I loved the herbs in the pasta and have a whole range of herbs I want to try with the pasta! 🙂
Wow Petra! This is a work of art! Those egg yolks have cooked perfectly.This is also so creative! Great recipe.
hi Sandhya
Thank you! I am so glad you like it. I did another test run, cooking for 6 and I am pleased to say that the ravioli came out fine again. t is a bit of preparation but perfect to make last minute! have a great week 🙂
Bravo Petra – This is such a work of art and I am not a big egg lover. But as you said you can stuff them with anything you want. I think you have inspired many of us to get a pasta machine 🙂
hi Juju
Any stuffing you like will work! I have lots of ideas but I had to do the egg when I saw the picture! I used to roll my pasta but the machine is soooo much easier! And quicker! 🙂
A work of art for sure. It’s so perfectly delicate.
hi Debbie
Thank you for stopping by and I am so glad you like it! It was way to quick to eat but well worth it! 🙂
Wow! They look amazing! And getting that egg yolk just right is a work of genius 😀😀😀 masterchef for you I think..?!
hi Elaine
Thank you! I saw the image of this dish and I just HAD to try and make them. The ravioli with the creamy egg yolk is great, I did it again with some tagliatelle below so you got a “carbonara” below and it made it a full meal, this was more a starter. ha ha not sure about Masterchef, they are extremely inventive! Not sure I am quite there! 🙂
I think you’re right there! Apply!!!
I’ve been meaning to make these myself! Yours look so beautiful 🙂 I can’t wait to make them!
hi Sarah #
Thank you! They are a little fiddly but well worth the effort! I was holding my breath when cutting in to them and only exhaled as the yolk came running out! I did it again and a little spaghetti and crispy bacon underneath caught the egg yolk and became a carbonara 🙂