We’ve already revealed how we make fresh pasta dough (by hand and in the food processor) and roll it out into sheets, so now we’re ready for the fun part: creating pasta shapes.
You can use the a pasta machine to cut flat noodles like fettucine, but homemade filled pastas are always a special treat. After rolling out your dough, follow the directions below for perfect ravioli — no matter which fillings you choose. Need recipe ideas? Scroll to the bottom of this post for some customer favorites!
 Mark the dough’s center.
Lay 1 section of pasta flat on a lightly floured work surface. Fold the dough in half lengthwise to mark the center, then unfold it so that it lies flat again.
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 Add the filling.
Beginning about 1 inch from one of the short ends, place teaspoonfuls of the filling about 1 inch apart in a straight row down the center of one side of the fold.
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 Brush the dough with water.
Dip a pastry brush in cool water and lightly brush around the filling; this acts as a glue that keeps the filling tightly sealed inside the pasta. Fold the dough over the filling.
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 Seal the ravioli.
Using your fingers, mold the dough around the filling to eliminate any air pockets (these could cause the ravioli to burst). Press the edges of dough together firmly to seal.
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 Separate the ravioli.
Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut all the way around the filled pasta strip, crimping the edges and trimming away about 1/8 inch. Then, cut evenly between the mounds, making small pillow-shaped ravioli.
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 Set the ravioli aside.
Place the ravioli in a single layer on a lightly floured rimmed baking sheet. Do not let them touch or they will stick together.
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Check out some of Williams-Sonoma’s best ravioli recipes:
