The One Italian Dish You Should Never Pass Up If You See It On The Menu

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Some Italian dishes that seem simple at a glance are anything but, as professionals in the industry will attest. Count among them award-winning Italian chef and TV personality Scott Conant, with whom The Takeout had the opportunity to speak recently. Conant possesses a wealth of knowledge and strong opinions about Italian cuisine and restaurants, once saying that an Italian restaurant that doesn't serve espresso isn't worth patronizing. One dish he's enamored with is egg yolk ravioli, and he recommends that people who haven't tried it should do themselves a favor and order it at least once if they see it on a menu.

"Egg yolk ravioli has a fascinating history," says Conant. "It was created by chef Nino Bergese around 50 years ago and requires a very precise technique." In fact, Conant's most memorable experience with the dish was at the very establishment where Bergese first conceptualized it: a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Imola, Italy, called San Domenico.

Thought it doesn't appear to have much going on at first glance, the beauty of egg yolk ravioli lies in every aspect of the dish exuding culinary mastery. Even in reputable establishments, it doesn't always come out right. "I've experienced both disappointing and extraordinary versions in restaurants," notes Conant. "The dish can be hit or miss, especially if the egg isn't cooked perfectly." Given how challenging it can be to prepare it, egg yolk ravioli qualifies as one of those complicated Italian dishes you won't want to make at home.

Although the dish is a treat when it's been done justice, Scott Conant says that egg yolk ravioli is best left to professional chef. One of the main reasons he recommends ordering egg yolk ravioli off a menu if you spot it is that attempting to make it at home can be grueling. "Making it at home is challenging mainly because it requires precision and the right tools — though those tools are easy to find," he explains.

You can cut ravioli without a specialized tool, but it's much easier using a pasta wheel or stamp. Amazon sells affordable ravioli-making kits online that have most of the equipment needed to complete the dish. Technically, all you need to make the pasta itself are ingredients for the dough and some muscle to roll it out, but a bona fide pasta-making machine would be optimal for thinning out the pasta to just the right thickness.

But even armed with all the ideal equipment, making egg yolk ravioli isn't for the faint of heart. "Timing is crucial: The ricotta must be fully warmed without overcooking, so the yolk stays runny but not raw," says Conant. "The ravioli itself must be rolled thin, and the ricotta properly seasoned, because the dish is truly a sum of its parts — every element needs to be perfect. I wouldn't call it difficult, but it is definitely a meticulous, careful process." While it's certainly not impossible for an ambitious amateur home cook to make the dish and surely impress any guests lucky enough to sample it in their home, ordering this Italian classic off a menu is probably a better option for those who value their time and sanity.