Macaroni Grill Ravioli Di Gamberi Recipe: Homemade Shrimp Ravioli in 30 Minutes

Bring the elegance of Romano’s Macaroni Grill into your kitchen with this impressive Ravioli Di Gamberi recipe. This gourmet dish features tender homemade pasta pockets filled with a luxurious mixture of shrimp, leeks, and ricotta cheese, all swimming in a velvety lemon butter sauce infused with saffron. While this recipe requires some effort, with 30 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking time, the results are truly restaurant-worthy. This seafood pasta creation will transport your taste buds straight to Italy, perfect for special occasions or when you want to treat yourself to something extraordinary.

Why This Recipe Works

The magic of this Ravioli Di Gamberi lies in its carefully balanced components. The homemade pasta provides a delicate yet sturdy canvas for the rich filling. By sautéing the shrimp and leeks before combining them with ricotta, you develop complex layers of flavor that pre-made ravioli simply can’t match. The saffron-infused lemon butter sauce creates the perfect balance between richness and acidity, preventing the dish from becoming too heavy while highlighting the sweet flavor of the shrimp. This recipe works because each component is treated with care – from allowing the pasta dough to rest (which develops proper gluten structure) to cooking the ravioli for just the right amount of time to maintain its integrity while ensuring it’s properly cooked.

Ingredients Needed

For the Homemade Pasta:

• All-purpose flour – Creates the foundation for tender yet sturdy ravioli
• Eggs – Provides structure and richness to the dough
• Olive oil – Adds suppleness and prevents dough from drying out
• Water – Helps achieve the perfect consistency
• Salt – Enhances flavor throughout the pasta

For the Shrimp Filling:

• Shrimp – Provides the sweet, delicate seafood flavor at the heart of the dish
• Leeks – Offers subtle onion flavor without overpowering the shrimp
• Olive oil and butter – Creates a flavorful base for sautéing
• Salt and white pepper – Seasons without adding visible specks
• Ricotta cheese – Adds creamy texture and helps bind the filling
• Egg – Works as a binder to hold filling together
• Heavy cream – Creates richness and moisture
• Fresh basil and thyme – Contributes bright, aromatic herbal notes

For the Lemon Butter Sauce:

• Cooked shrimp – Adds visual appeal and reinforces the shrimp flavor
• Butter – Forms the luxurious base of the sauce
• Dry white wine – Adds acidity and depth of flavor
• Garlic – Provides an essential aromatic foundation
• Saffron threads – Contributes distinctive flavor and golden color
• White pepper – Seasons without disrupting the sauce’s appearance
• Lemon juice – Brightens the rich sauce with fresh acidity
• Heavy cream – Creates silky texture and balances the acidity

Step-by-Step Instructions

For the Pasta Dough:

1. Prepare your work surface: Clean and dry a large cutting board or countertop. Create a mound with 1 pound of all-purpose flour and form a well in the center large enough to hold the wet ingredients.
2. Add wet ingredients: Crack 4 eggs directly into the well. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon water, and 1 teaspoon salt to the eggs.
3. Begin mixing: Using a fork, gently beat the eggs while gradually incorporating flour from the inner edges of the well. Continue until the mixture becomes too thick for the fork.
4. Knead the dough: Use your hands to incorporate the remaining flour, kneading until you have a smooth, elastic dough, about 8-10 minutes. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky.
5. Rest the dough: Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap or cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rest at room temperature for exactly 30 minutes. This crucial step allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to roll.

For the Shrimp Filling:

6. Prepare the shrimp and leeks: While the dough rests, clean and devein 1½ pounds of shrimp if not already prepared. Wash leeks thoroughly and chop the white portions only to yield 2 cups.
7. Sauté the filling base: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp, chopped leeks, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon white pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just pink. Do not overcook.
8. Cool and chop shrimp: Remove the shrimp from the pan, let cool slightly, then roughly chop into small pieces. Set aside both the shrimp and the leek mixture to cool completely.
9. Prepare the cheese mixture: In a medium bowl, combine 1 pound ricotta cheese, 1 egg, ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil, and ½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme. Mix until well combined.
10. Complete the filling: Once cooled, fold the chopped shrimp and leek mixture into the ricotta mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For Rolling and Filling the Ravioli:

11. Roll the pasta: Divide the rested dough into 4 equal portions. Work with one portion at a time, keeping the others covered with a towel to prevent drying. Start with the widest setting on your pasta machine, feeding the dough through several times, folding it in thirds between each pass until smooth. Gradually adjust to thinner settings until you reach the thinnest or second-thinnest setting.
12. Prepare for filling: Lay the pasta sheets flat on a lightly floured surface. Lightly beat an additional egg and brush it over the entire surface of each pasta sheet.
13. Add the filling: On one half of each pasta sheet, place 1 tablespoon mounds of the shrimp filling, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
14. Form the ravioli: Fold the uncovered half of the pasta sheet over the filling to create a large pocket. Gently press around each mound to seal, removing any air pockets which could cause ravioli to burst during cooking.
15. Cut the ravioli: Using a sharp knife, pasta cutter, or fluted pasta wheel, cut between each mound to create individual ravioli squares. Press the edges again with fingers or a fork to ensure they’re well-sealed.

For the Lemon Butter Sauce:

16. Start the sauce base: In a large sauté pan, melt 2 cups (1 pound) butter over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
17. Add aromatics: Stir in 2 teaspoons saffron threads (or turmeric substitute) and ¼ teaspoon white pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes to bloom the spices and release their flavors.
18. Incorporate liquids: Add ¼ cup dry white wine and cook for 1 minute to reduce slightly. Stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 cup heavy cream. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
19. Finish with shrimp: Add ½ pound cooked shrimp to the sauce and cook for just 1 minute to warm through. Keep sauce warm over low heat while cooking the ravioli.

Final Assembly:

• Garnish and enjoy: Sprinkle with additional fresh herbs if desired and serve immediately.
• Cook the ravioli: Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Carefully add ravioli in small batches to avoid crowding. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they float to the surface and the pasta is tender but still firm (al dente).
• Drain and serve: Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove ravioli from water and drain briefly. Place 4-5 ravioli in each serving bowl and generously spoon the lemon butter sauce and shrimp over the top.

Storage and Reheating

• Reheat ravioli by dunking in simmering water for 30 seconds
• Uncooked ravioli can be frozen for up to 1 month; freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to freezer bags
• When cooking from frozen, do not thaw; simply add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time
• Leftover cooked ravioli can be refrigerated for up to 2 days
• Store sauce separately from cooked ravioli when possible
• Reheat sauce gently over low heat, adding a splash of cream if it separates