The Pasta Dish Definitely Worth Ordering If It's On The Menu

Those who frequent Italian restaurants may think they know every pasta there is to know, but there is a rare and unique dish that is a must have if you stumble on a joint that serves it. By now, most Americans know that Italian pasta dishes are far more than noodles and tomato sauce, and regional Italian cooking has become almost as common as Italian American dishes like spaghetti and meatballs. But while the country certainly loves its traditions, Italian cuisine doesn't rest on its laurels either. New pasta dishes may take years for Americans to learn about, and, when talking to two professional Italian chefs about truly special pasta recipes, they told us we needed to try egg yolk ravioli.

The first to lend us his knowledge on egg yolk ravioli was Jasper J. Mirabile Jr., the owner and chef at Jasper's Restaurant and host of "Live! From Jasper's Restaurant." Mirabile had just been in Italy and ate at Ristorante San Domenico, where the dish was invented in 1974. The basis of egg yolk ravioli is actually quite simple. "You need a pasta sheet, an egg yolk, and a mixture of ricotta cheese and spinach," he tells us. "Make a circle on the pasta sheet with the ricotta and spinach mixer, and drop the egg yolk in the middle, and then cover it with another sheet of pasta." The whole dish actually ends up as one large raviolo (or a few medium sized ones), which you cut into so that the rich, creamy yolk spills out.

Both chefs emphasized the importance of delicate cooking for egg yolk ravioli. Anthony Scotto III, the co-founder of the Pelato restaurant chain specializing in Italian cuisine infused with the spirit of Brooklyn, says that his restaurant Luogo has made the dish a few times over the years. "It is so important not to overcook it," Scotto explains. "Nobody wants a hard-boiled egg in their ravioli!" In fact, the chef reveals that his restaurant would freeze the yolk, as it "makes handling way easier and increases the chances of having that perfect runny moment when it hits the table." But if steps like that aren't taken, the timing must be perfect. Mirabile adds, "It has to be for a precise 30 seconds — just enough to cook the pasta and warm the egg yolk up, so when you break into it, it flows out."

With so much technique going into the runny yolk, it should be the centerpiece of the dish. That said, the sauces it's served in are usually quite light. "It's an amazing dish served in a brown butter sauce with fresh sage and fresh shaved truffles," Mirabile tells us. As he noted before, the filling is typically either ricotta by itself or a ricotta and spinach mixture, piped into a nest to hold the yolk while constructing the raviolo. However, any pipeable mixture can work, including things like ground mushrooms. No matter the variations you may find, the elegant experience of egg yolk ravioli is not to be missed when you see it on a menu.