Butternut squash ravioli topped with fried sage and toasted walnuts on a floral plate, set on a cozy patterned tablecloth with a lit candle and a glass of water.
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Pork Ravioli with Walnut Sauce

Tender meat pockets in a buttery, nutty pan sauce crisp with sage. Crunchy walnuts cut the richness while lemon brightens every bite.

(0)
1h 30m prep + 30m cook
4 servings
Italy, Liguria

What You'll Need

  • to taste salt
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 75g butter
  • 400g pork shoulder
  • 250g walnut
  • 100g parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 50g breadcrumb
  • 1 lemon
  • 4 egg
  • 300g 00 flour
  • to taste pepper
  • 20 sage leaf

Let's Get Cooking

  1. 1

    Cube the pork shoulder and brown it in olive oil with chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Add white wine and simmer covered for 90 minutes until the meat is tender enough to shred.

    ~1h 40m

    Shred the meat by hand for a texture that holds well inside the ravioli.

  2. 2

    Toast 150g of walnuts until fragrant. Grind half the nuts into a fine powder and mix with the shredded pork, egg, 50g of parmesan, nutmeg, and breadcrumbs.

    ~40m

    Fry a small teaspoon of the filling in a pan to check the seasoning before filling the pasta.

  3. 3

    Make the pasta dough by combining flour, three eggs, and olive oil. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then let it rest for 30 minutes.

    ~40m

    The dough should feel satiny and not sticky; use a pasta roller for the best consistency.

  4. 4

    Roll the dough into thin sheets. Place small mounds of filling 4cm apart, cover with a second sheet, press out the air, and cut into 5cm squares.

    ~30m

    Let the ravioli dry for 15 minutes on a floured surface to help the edges seal tightly.

  5. 5

    Melt butter over medium heat and add the remaining 100g of walnuts and sage. Fry for 3 minutes until the nuts are golden and the sage is brittle.

    ~5m

    Watch the heat closely so the walnuts snap clean without burning the butter.

  6. 6

    Boil the ravioli in salted water for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer them to the sauce pan and toss with lemon juice, zest, and the remaining parmesan.

    ~5m

    The sauce should look glossy and cling to the pasta; serve immediately while hot.

Goes Great With

Ravioli

perfect

The pockets hold the savory pork filling tightly while the sauce pools in the folds for a full coat of walnut flavor.

Agnolotti

great

The curve of the pasta traps the sauce, allowing the walnut crunch to echo the richness of the pork.

The Story Behind the Sauce

Walnut pork ravioli fuses Ligurian walnut sauce with a savory pork filling. The filling carries notes of nutmeg, staying soft inside the thin pasta. The sauce provides a crunch against the silk of the butter, with sage leaves fried crisp and lemon zest adding a sharp finish. It is earthy and rich, balanced by acidity so the nuts coat the pasta without becoming heavy. This dish draws from the Riviera di Ponente coast and the valleys near Genoa. Walnut sauce, known as salsa noxe, dates back to the 15th century as part of cucina povera. Peasants ground local walnuts with garlic and cheese to stretch meager fillings. Pork was a common protein from hillside farms, braised slowly for tenderness. This meal once fueled laborers in olive groves and shipyards, providing a protein-heavy dish made from local, resourceful ingredients.