Salmon & Basil Ravioli

Homemade ravioli don’t get simpler than this: basil-flecked pasta dough rolled thin, cut into circles, filled with a quick mix of canned salmon and curd cheese, folded into half-moons. Fresh basil worked into the dough itself gives the ravioli green specks and a subtle herbal note that pesto alone can’t match.

The poaching liquid matters. Instead of boiling in plain water, the ravioli cook in a light fish stock with onion and garlic, which adds another layer of flavor from the inside out. A fresh tomato and basil pesto sauce simmers alongside and goes over the finished ravioli at the table.

One-hour drying time on a floured board is the key to sealed-edged ravioli that don’t burst in the stock. Skip it and you risk a pot full of broken pasta and naked filling.

Chef Tips

• Knead the dough a full minute until it feels smooth and elastic. Underworked dough tears when rolled thin.
• Roll to 2mm (about 1/16 inch) thickness. Thicker dough makes tough ravioli; thinner and the filling tears through.
• Press edges firmly. Any air pocket or loose seam and the ravioli opens in the stock.
• Let the assembled ravioli dry the full hour on each side. Freshly made ravioli stick together and burst in poaching liquid.
• Cook in batches, a third at a time. Crowded stock loses temperature and ravioli turn mushy before cooking through.

Variations

• Swap canned salmon for fresh flaked poached salmon or smoked salmon for a richer, more flavorful filling.
• Use fresh ricotta in place of curd cheese for a softer, more familiar texture.
• Finish with a drizzle of brown butter and a handful of toasted pine nuts for a more elegant plating.