Culurgiones with Ricotta (Ricotta Ravioli)
Description
In Sardinia, the term culurgiones refers to ravioli — a type of fresh stuffed pasta that varies across the island, differing in filling and folding technique.
The most traditional version is made with ricotta, which can be simply flavored with saffron and lemon zest, or enriched with spinach.
Here, we present the spinach version of these delicious Sardinian ravioli.
Se volete preparare dei perfetti culurgiones di ricotta, scoprite come fare seguendo questa ricetta.
Ingredients
to recalculate the ingredient amounts
For the dough
- 00 Flour 250 g
- Semolina flour 250 g
- Lard 1 cucchiai
- Water 150 ml
- Salt q.b.
For the filling
- Cuor di Ricotta Arborea 500 g
- Spinach 500 g
- Saffron 1 pizzichi
- Lemon zest q.b.
- Salt q.b.
For the sauce
- Tomato puree 500 ml
- Garlic 1
- Basil leaves 5
- Extra virgin olive oil q.b.
- Aged Sardinian pecorino, grated q.b.
Instructions
- 1 Prepare the filling. Boil the spinach in salted water, drain and squeeze well. Chop finely and sauté for a few minutes in a non-stick pan to remove excess moisture, then let cool slightly.<br>Once lukewarm, place them in a bowl with the ricotta, egg yolks, saffron, and grated lemon zest. Add a pinch of salt and mix until smooth.<br>Cover and refrigerate while preparing the dough.
- 2 Make the pasta dough. <br>In a large bowl, combine the two flours, lard, and salt. Gradually add warm water while kneading until you obtain a smooth, elastic dough.<br>Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature.
- 3 After resting, roll out two thin sheets of dough. On the first sheet, place small portions of filling (about the size of a walnut), leaving 2 cm between each.<br>Cover with the second sheet and press around the filling to seal. Cut out 5 cm squares using a ravioli cutter or a serrated wheel.<br>Arrange them on a floured cloth, cover with another floured towel, and let dry slightly.
- 4 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli in small batches. Once done, drain and place on a clean towel to dry slightly.
- 5 In a pan, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic. Add the tomato purée, a pinch of salt, and cook for about 10 minutes. Add basil or mint leaves at the end.<br>Toss the cooked ravioli with the sauce and sprinkle generously with grated pecorino. Serve hot.
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Variations
The beauty of culurgiones lies in their versatility — you can easily adapt the filling to your taste.
For a richer, more intense taste, you can add finely sliced speck to the filling made with spinach, egg yolks, and ricotta. This gives the mixture a delicious smoky aroma that pairs beautifully with the natural sweetness of the ricotta. If you prefer something milder, try adding diced cooked ham or crumbled sausage instead.
If you’d rather make a version without vegetables, you can prepare potato ravioli, featuring a soft filling made from mashed potatoes, egg, and cheese. For an even creamier texture, mix in a few teaspoons of
pecorino cream
— it will make the filling extra smooth and give the pasta a rich, savory flavor.
You can also make your dish more indulgent by serving the ravioli with a meat ragù or fresh sheep’s ricotta. In the latter case, strain the ricotta well, place it in a bowl, season lightly with salt, add grated cheese and parsley, and mix it vigorously while incorporating a ladle of warm pasta water. The result will be a velvety, perfectly creamy ricotta sauce.
Feel free to personalize your filling by swapping the parsley for other aromatic herbs or adding a pinch of nutmeg for a slightly spiced note.
If you enjoyed this traditional Sardinian dish, you can also try making baked culurgiones — a delicious alternative that turns them into crispy little bites, perfect to serve as an appetizer or as a unique main course.
Did You Know?
Culurgiones — often called Sardinian ravioli — are a type of fresh stuffed pasta with a thin dough encasing a creamy filling, typically flavored with herbs and cheese.
This traditional Sardinian dish is simple yet incredibly flavorful: just prepare the filling, boil the ravioli, and enjoy a comforting, authentic taste of Sardinia.
The Arborea menus
With our menus, we bring Sardinia to the table, dish by dish.
Come and discover the most traditional recipes of our homeland, Sardinia. We’ve prepared some simple menus for every day and some more elaborate ones for special occasions.
