honeymoon ravioli
and taking a short break
It’s a funny thing, the need to justify rest. Because although it’s a physical necessity, like air and food and water, it has also, somehow, come to be associated with weakness. I grew up among people who glorified work, who didn’t just need to be good at something, but the very best. The smartest. The most efficient. And in a lot of ways, that drive and ambition has served me well. In other ways, it has been rather…exhausting.
My husband, an attorney, is fond of telling the old joke that practicing law is like a pie-eating contest where first prize is more pie. Swap out the pie for pasta, and I can relate. Getting to write the Pasta Social Club newsletter (nearly in its third year!) is one of the great joys of my career. It’s pushed me to be a better writer, encouraged me to be more creative in recipe development, and allowed me to forge a pasta-loving community with all of you. Like any job, though—even the most rewarding ones!—sometimes you need a vacation.
Make no mistake: This newsletter is not going anywhere. What I’m really trying to say—to justify—is that I’m going to take a couple of months off to recharge. To that end, I will be pausing paid subscriptions as of August 1. That means your billing cycle will be frozen (e.g. for annual subscribers, any paused time won’t count toward the yearlong subscription), and you won’t be charged again until the newsletter restarts. But for reasons known only to the good people at Substack, it also means even paid subscribers will not be able to access paywalled posts during this time (and new paid subscriptions will obviously be on hold). So if there’s a paywalled recipe or two you’ve been eyeing or you think you might want to make in the coming weeks, make sure to save it to your files. (Might I suggest the bucatini with corn, pepper & pecorino; corn & mascarpone triangoli with pecorino basil butter; green tomato pasta; summer carbonara for two; and sungold, saffron & sausage sugo to start?)
Speaking of rest and relaxation, today I’m sharing a ravioli recipe inspired by the first dish my husband and I enjoyed during our honeymoon in Italy, and particularly from Sorrento. It’s cobbled together from a few recipes in my cookbook, and it’s one of my favorite dishes to enjoy during the height of summer. I also shared a simplified version of this recipe and some more backstory with illustrator
for her beautiful newsletter, Art Basil—I highly recommend checking out her work!I’ll be back in the fall with plenty of delicious and cozy recipes. In the meantime: Wishing you all a wonderful summer, full of sunshine and plenty of rest!
—Meryl
PS: There are two spots left for my trip to Puglia (March 23-29, 2025) in collaboration with
! If you’re interested, you can find all the details here; I’d absolutely love for you to join me!
Honeymoon Ravioli
Serves 4 to 6
The first meal my husband and I shared while honeymooning in Italy was a perfect plate of cheese ravioli in tomato sauce. Only a couple of hours earlier we’d touched down in Naples and drove to nearby Sorrento, where we unloaded our luggage under the speckled shadows of fragrant orange trees. Lunch was served overlooking the Bay of Naples, its glittering waves nodding toward the island of Capri, and at that moment, we couldn’t have asked for anything more.
This recipe is pieced together from memory and taste. After falling down a deep internet rabbit hole, I discovered that the ravioli we enjoyed that afternoon were inspired by ravioli Capresi, pasta parcels from Capri filled with caciotta, a local semi-soft cheese, its closest American relative is Monterey Jack, which I suggest here—although not quite the table cheese of Capri, it’s a little something unexpected that makes these ravioli melt in your mouth.
For the filling
225 grams (8 ounces) fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes
150 grams (5¼ ounces) grated caciotta or Monterey Jack cheese
45 grams (1½ ounces) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Fresh marjoram leaves to taste*
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten together
For the pasta**
400 grams (a generous 2½ cups) ‘00’ or all-purpose flour
200 ml (¾ cup plus 4 teaspoons) warm or tepid water
For the sauce
340 grams (12 ounces) small, sweet tomatoes like cherry or Campari
Kosher salt
85 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter or 80 ml (⅓ cup) high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
340 grams (12 ounces) tomato purée (passata) or canned peeled whole or crushed tomatoes
2 large sprigs fresh basil, plus torn or chopped basil for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or other hard grating cheese, for serving (optional)
*Marjoram is an herb you’ll come across often in Italian cooking. It’s similar to oregano, aromatic with hints of citrus and pine, and, like oregano, a little can go a long way. If you can’t find it, use fresh (not dried) oregano or, in a pinch, sage.
**The dough for ravioli Capresi is typically made with just flour and water, but feel free to use a standard egg dough instead.
For the filling
Add the cheeses and a few marjoram leaves to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adding more marjoram if you’d like. Transfer to a mixing bowl and fold in the egg, egg yolk, and another pinch of salt. (You can also finely chop the mozzarella and marjoram and mix everything together by hand.)
The texture of this filling is almost doughlike—not to worry, the cheeses will melt together when cooked. Keep the filling in the bowl or transfer it to a piping bag; if chilling overnight, allow the filling to soften at room temperature for 30 minutes before use.
For the pasta
Make the dough:
Make the dough by hand or in a food processor according to the directions in this post. Let it rest, tightly covered, at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Set up your workspace:
Set up your pasta machine. Line a sheet pan or tray with parchment paper, or dust it with a thin layer of coarse semolina.
Roll the pasta sheets:
Cut off a quarter of the dough and re-wrap the rest. On your work surface, flatten the section of dough with your palm into an oval-shaped pancake that’s about ¼-inch thick. Press the dough between your fingers to thin it out as needed.
Set your pasta machine to its widest setting. Position one tapered end of the oval in the center and roll it through once—you should be left with a longer, thinner oval.
Position the dough lengthwise on your work surface. Then fold the two tapered ends into the center like an envelope so the length is the same or similar to the slot of the pasta roller (about 6 inches; it doesn’t matter if the tapered ends overlap or if there’s space between them). Flatten the dough again with your palm/fingers so it’ll go through the machine easily.
Line up the bottom edge of the pasta envelope with the edge of the machine (the folded ends should run horizontally). Roll the dough through the machine on the same (widest) setting a second time—you should be left with a rectangular-ish piece of dough (it’s okay if the ends aren’t perfect!).
Continue rolling the dough through the machine one time on each progressive setting until you have a thin sheet, dusting with ‘00’ or all-purpose flour as needed (on a Marcato Atlas 150, I recommend setting 6, twice through; on a KitchenAid machine, I recommend setting 7).
Lay the pasta sheet horizontally on your work surface—if you’re using a countertop, dust it with some flour first—and trim any uneven edges. Save the scraps for soups or a snack, or ball them up and cover them so they can be reused at the end.
Fold the pasta sheet in half crosswise, like a book, and make a crease to mark the midpoint. Unfold it and cut along the crease so you have two even pieces. Set one aside and cover it with a damp dishcloth or plastic wrap.
Fill the ravioli:
Gently press a 2- or 2½-inch round cookie cutter across the uncovered pasta sheet, just enough to see the circles’ outlines but not enough to cut through. Fit as many outlines as possible while leaving a finger’s worth of space between them and the edges of the sheet.
Spoon or pipe a dollop of filling in the center of each outline. Add enough to fill the round while leaving ¼ inch of space between the dollop and the outline.
Seal the ravioli:
If the dough feels dry, dip a finger in a small amount of water and trace around the dollops of filling, or lightly mist the dough with a spray bottle. Uncover the other pasta sheet and carefully lay it on top of the filling (if there’s flour on it, make sure that side is facing up), aligning the two sheets at one edge and draping it over. It’s okay if the top layer doesn’t look like it’ll quite cover everything—you can stretch the dough if needed.
Trace and press your index fingers around each filling pocket to remove the air, lifting the top layer of pasta as needed and pushing the air out toward the nearest edge. Once the mounds of filling are sealed, lift the pasta up to make sure it’s not sticking to your work surface.
To make the ravioli look more uniform, gently press the rim of a small glass or the blunt side of a smaller cookie cutter around each filling pocket. They’ll puff up as the filling concentrates; it’s incredibly satisfying but totally optional.
Cut the ravioli:
Cut out the ravioli with the cookie cutter, twisting it as you do so, then pinch around the edges of each piece to seal and thin out the dough.
If the scraps are filling-free and feel pliable and hydrated, ball them up and cover them again. If they’re dry or covered in filling, wipe away the filling and cut them into pieces to save for a snack or soups.
Arrange the finished ravioli in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
For the sauce
Halve or quarter the fresh tomatoes, depending on their size. In a medium bowl, season them generously with kosher salt. Allow to marinate for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, so they release some of their juices and concentrate in flavor. Pour off the excess liquid.
In a Dutch oven or large sauté pan, warm 4 tablespoons of the butter or ¼ cup of the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until sizzling and fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the salted tomatoes to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until jammy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato purée, basil, and a big pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes more. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter (or oil—though butter is preferred!), then discard the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
The cooled sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
For serving
Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil, then season it generously with salt. Carefully drop the ravioli into the boiling water, shaking off any flour as you do so. Stir for a moment to prevent sticking, then cook until tender or to your liking, about 3 minutes (always taste-test!). Meanwhile, warm the sauce over medium heat.
With a spider sieve or slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli directly to the sauce (or, if you need to drain them, reserve about a cup of pasta cooking water first, then immediately tip them from the colander into the sauce). Stir gently until the pasta is well coated, 1 to 2 minutes, loosening with pasta cooking water as needed.
Divide the ravioli among plates and serve, topped with fresh basil and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, if you’d like.
Adapted from ‘Pasta Every Day’ by Meryl Feinstein. Copyright © 2023 by Meryl Feinstein. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, New York. All rights reserved.
a plate of dreams!!!
Enjoy your vacation — hope you get lots of much needed rest, Meryl! 😊🥰