Ricotta and Spinach Candies

Name: Ricotta and Spinach Candies
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 2 cups; Eggs 2; Egg yolks 1; Spinach 8 cups; Cow's milk ricotta cheese ½ cup; Salt to taste; Nutmeg 1 pinch; Grana Padano PDO cheese (to grate) 1.8 oz; Black pepper to taste; Butter ½ cup; Sage 6 leaves; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese to grate to taste

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608

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 608
Carbohydrates g 52.9
of which sugars g 3.6
Protein g 22.3
Fats g 34.2
of which saturated fat g 19.23
Fiber g 3.5
Cholesterol mg 263
Sodium mg 720

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Low
Note Plus the resting time of the dough

PRESENTATION

Caramelle ricotta e spinaci is such a fun dish from Emilia-Romagna that even the pickiest eaters can't resist it. The name "caramelle"—get this—comes from its candy-like shape. The fresh egg pasta wraps around a creamy mix of ricotta and spinach stuffed pasta filling. Really, it's like ravioli's playful cousin. Perfect for everyone. The tender dough just hugs that cheese and spinach mixture, and the parcels dry out a bit before boiling. And you know what? Folks in this part of Italy often pair it with melted butter and sage. Super tasty. Seriously. Every bite is rich, moist, and oh-so fragrant.

This is the kind of Italian stuffed pasta recipe that shows how a few simple ingredients can become something special—really really special. What makes caramelle ricotta e spinaci different is its unique charm. Instead of regular shapes, these bundles look like candies. Perfect for family dinners or casual hangouts.

The filling? It's smooth and creamy, thanks to fresh ricotta. The spinach adds that fresh, green taste—balances it out. The classic combo of butter and sage ties it all together with a golden, almost silky touch on your tongue. In Emilia-Romagna, good traditional Italian pasta dishes aren't about being fancy. Nope. They're about enjoying ricotta and spinach stuffed pasta that's light, flavorful, and oh-so easy to love.

Looking for easy stuffed pasta recipes or a new vegetarian favorite? This dish checks all the boxes. Simple cooking, genuine flavor. It's the kind of thing everyone loves. For sure. Whether you're a seasoned chef or just starting out, making this at home brings a touch of Italy right to your kitchen. Pretty much like you're there.

INGREDIENTS

608

Calories per serving

Ingredients for the egg pasta: Type 00 flour 2 cups (250 g); Eggs 2; Egg yolks 1

for the filling: Spinach 8 cups (250 g); Cow's milk ricotta cheese ½ cup (125 g); Salt to taste; Nutmeg 1 pinch; Grana Padano PDO cheese 1.8 oz (50 g) - (to grate); Black pepper to taste

for the seasoning: Butter ½ cup (100 g); Sage 6 leaves; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese to taste - to grate

Preparation

How to prepare Ricotta and Spinach Candies

To prepare the ricotta and spinach candies, start with the Homemade pasta (sheets and shapes). In a bowl, pour the flour, holding back about 50 g to add as needed 1; then add the eggs 2 and mix everything inside the same bowl 3. When the eggs are absorbed, you can continue on a work surface and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.

Once ready, shape it into a sphere 4, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in a cool place with the light on for about 30 minutes. Focus on preparing the filling: boil the spinach in very little salted water 5 or steam them or simply sauté them over low heat in a non-stick pan. Then squeeze them and chop finely 6. Once cooked and well-squeezed, the spinach will weigh about 3.5 oz.

Place the chopped spinach in a bowl where you will add the ricotta and grated Grana Padano PDO 7, nutmeg, salt, and pepper 8. Mix all the ingredients until you get a soft but compact mixture 9.

Roll out the egg pasta into a very thin sheet, which you will cut into rectangles measuring about 4x3 inches 10. In the center of each rectangle, place a scant teaspoon of filling 11 and roll the sheet over itself on the longer side 12.

Now shape your candies: twist the right edge clockwise 13 and the left edge counterclockwise, as if to close the wrapper of a candy 14. Trim the outer edges of both flaps with a fluted wheel 15.

Once you have shaped all the candies, place them on a floured board and let them dry for about an hour 16. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for at least 5 minutes 17, meanwhile, in a pan, brown the sage leaves in melted butter 18. Once cooked, drain the candies and season with butter and sage and grated Parmesan cheese to taste. Your ricotta and spinach candies are ready to be served!

Storage

Ricotta and spinach candies keep for one day in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can freeze them raw. For freezing, place the tray with the candies in the freezer to harden for a couple of hours. Once well hardened, put them in freezer bags, preferably already portioned, and store them again in the freezer. When you need to use them, boil them directly from frozen in boiling water and proceed as per the recipe.

Advice

Since the dough tends to dry out very quickly, shape the candies as soon as you have rolled it out, while it is still moist and workable, otherwise it will break when twisted, causing the filling to leak out.

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