Wild Mushroom & Spinach Ravioli with Truffle Cream

Wild mushroom and spinach ravioli in a truffle cream sauce is the vegetarian main course that needs no apology and often inspires genuine envy at the table. Homemade pasta enveloping a dense, deeply savory wild mushroom and ricotta filling, sauced with a truffle-infused cream that clings beautifully to each pillow — it is both luxurious and satisfying in a way that no other vegetarian option quite matches.

For group entertaining, this dish can be made almost entirely ahead: the ravioli assembled and refrigerated or frozen, the sauce prepared in advance, with only the brief boiling and final toss required at service.

Ingredients (serves 10–12 as a plated main):

Pasta Dough: - 14 ⅛ oz "00" flour (or all-purpose) - 4 large eggs - 2 egg yolks - 1 tablespoon olive oil - Pinch of salt

Wild Mushroom & Ricotta Filling: - 1 lb mixed wild mushrooms (porcini, shiitake, chanterelle, cremini), finely chopped - 7 oz baby spinach - 9 oz whole-milk ricotta - 3 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated - 3 shallots, minced - 4 garlic cloves, minced - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves - 1 tablespoon black truffle paste or truffle oil - Salt and white pepper - 1 egg yolk (for the filling)

Truffle Cream Sauce: - 1⅔ cups heavy cream - 2 tablespoons black truffle paste (or 1 tablespoon truffle oil) - 2 shallots, minced - ⅓ cup dry white wine - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 3 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated - Salt, white pepper, and fresh lemon juice

Filling Instructions: Sauté shallots and garlic in butter until soft. Add mushrooms and thyme, cook over high heat until completely dry — all moisture must evaporate, about 15 minutes. Stir in truffle paste. Cool completely. Wilt spinach in a dry pan, squeeze bone-dry, chop finely. Combine mushroom mixture, spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolk, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning aggressively — the filling must be well-seasoned.

Pasta & Assembly: Mound flour, make a well, add eggs and yolks. Mix with a fork, then knead 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap, rest 30 minutes. Roll thin (setting 6 or 7 on a pasta machine). Cut circles or squares. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each. Brush edges with egg wash, fold and seal firmly, pressing out any air. Refrigerate on floured trays up to 24 hours, or freeze.

Truffle Cream Sauce: Sauté shallots in butter until soft. Add white wine, reduce by half. Add cream and truffle paste, simmer 8 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in Parmesan. Season and add lemon juice to taste.

Service: Boil ravioli in heavily salted water 3–4 minutes until they float and pasta is tender. Transfer directly to the sauce pan. Toss gently, adding pasta water as needed. Plate immediately with additional Parmesan and a drizzle of truffle oil.

Pro Tips: The filling must be completely cold and dry before filling — warm or wet filling tears the pasta and leaks during cooking. For large groups, use a round 3-inch cutter for uniform ravioli that cook evenly. Store-bought fresh pasta sheets work as a shortcut if time is limited.