In Italy, love is rarely declared out loud.
It is cooked, set on the table, and served.
Valentine’s Day, more than a celebration, becomes an opportunity to return to the table as a place of intimacy, memory, and storytelling. It is from this idea that the heart-shaped raviolo is born: not a simple romantic dish, but a form rich with meaning, capable of uniting gastronomic history with contemporary sensitivity.
Ravioli: An Ancient Gesture of Italian Cuisine
Filled pasta is one of the most intimate expressions of Italian cooking. The earliest traces of ravioli date back to the Middle Ages, when they were prepared for feast days—moments when something precious was chosen to be “sealed” inside pasta.
Meat, cheese, herbs: the filling was never accidental. It was what one wanted to protect, preserve, and offer.
The raviolo was born as a domestic, shared gesture, passed down through generations. A dish that speaks softly, yet says a great deal.
The Shape of the Heart: Fragility and Promise
Giving ravioli the shape of a heart is not an aesthetic indulgence, but a declaration.
The heart is fragile and must be sealed with care. Treat it lightly and it opens; respect it and it holds. Just like a relationship.
The heart-shaped raviolo for Valentine’s Day thus becomes a gastronomic symbol: essential, delicate, deeply human.
Sea and Land: An Emotional Balance
Beneath the raviolo rests a tartare of raw red prawns, finely hand-chopped and dressed with restraint. It represents the instinctive side of the dish—sensual and direct.
Inside, however, lies whipped sheep’s milk ricotta, soft and enveloping, evoking home cooking, comfort, and slowness. Here, sea and land converse without overpowering each other; passion and care find their meeting point.
Binding everything together is a warm saffron-infused brown butter poured tableside. Saffron—ancient and precious—was present in Renaissance banquets and aristocratic Italian kitchens, a symbol of celebration and importance.
Here it does not dominate, but illuminates: it perfumes the dish, wraps the raviolo, and creates a warm–cold contrast that makes the bite unforgettable. A light dusting of beetroot powder, used sparingly, completes the plate with an elegant chromatic echo.
A Single Raviolo
The dish is served with one large raviolo per person. A conscious, almost countercultural choice that restores value to the gesture and to the experience.
In an age of excess, Valentine’s Day becomes an invitation to choose the essential—and to transform dinner into something truly authentic.
Recipe: Heart-Shaped Raviolo with Sheep’s Ricotta, Raw Red Prawn Tartare, and Saffron Butter
Ingredients (Serves 2)
For the Pasta
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (100 g)
- 1 medium egg
Filling
- ½ cup sheep’s milk ricotta, well drained (120 g)
- Delicate extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- Zest of 1 untreated lime
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- White pepper, to taste
Tartare
- 1 large red prawn, ultra-fresh and previously frozen for safety
- Delicate extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Sauce
- 3–3½ tbsp high-quality butter (40–50 g)
- Saffron threads or 1 packet pure saffron
- 2 tbsp hot water
For Finishing
- Beetroot powder
- Lime zest
- Edible petals
Method
- Knead the flour and egg until smooth and elastic. Wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Work the ricotta with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, white pepper, and lime zest. Whip lightly until soft and airy.
- Roll the pasta very thin. Cut heart shapes, fill with ricotta, and seal with a second sheet of pasta, pressing the edges carefully.
- Finely chop the red prawn by hand into a neat tartare. Dress with just a few drops of olive oil.
- Infuse the saffron in hot water for 15–20 minutes. Melt the butter gently until lightly browned, then remove from heat and add the saffron infusion.
- Cook the raviolo in lightly salted water for a few minutes.
- Plate the prawn tartare in the center, place the raviolo on top, and finish with saffron butter.
- Garnish with beetroot powder, lime zest, and edible petals. Serve immediately.
Wine Pairing
Franciacorta Brut
Elegant and precise, with fine bubbles, Franciacorta Brut pairs beautifully with the delicacy of raw prawn and the softness of ricotta. It balances the richness of saffron butter while keeping the palate fresh—an ideal match for a Valentine’s Day dinner that values finesse over excess.
