Meats

• Use ground or chopped meats, such as beef, pork or turkey to fill ravioli. Fully cook and season the meat before filling the ravioli, because it will not cook sufficiently to be food safe when boiling this filled pasta. Saute any vegetables, such as 2 to 3 tablespoons of diced onion or a minced clove of garlic, in oil and combine with 1 pound of cooked chopped meat. Blend the mixture lightly in the blender to create finely chopped stuffing. Add any other ingredients, such as a small amount of cheese, and one egg yolk per pound of meat. The egg helps to bind the mixture. Mix it thoroughly and use to fill ravioli.

Cheeses

• The sky's the limit when it comes to using cheese to make ravioli filling. While Parmesan and ricotta are often used, you can use any combination you prefer. Add fresh herbs and seasonings and combine with one egg per cup of cheese to help bind the ingredients. You can also add minced onion or garlic to create a signature recipe for cheese-filled ravioli.

Vegetables

• Mushrooms and spinach are common vegetable varieties of ravioli, but you aren't limited to these. Try using Swiss chard or beet greens in place of the spinach, or go for something a little different and fill your vegetable ravioli with creamy winter squash. Cook the greens until just wilted and drain them thoroughly before adding them to the other ingredients. Chop the greens finely and combine them with herbs and spices and a small amount of shredded or grated cheese plus one egg yolk per cup as a binder. For mashed or creamed veggies, such as butternut squash, add grated cheese to thicken the filling.

Combinations

• There is no rule that says you cannot combine meats, cheeses and veggies in the same ravioli. Many meat or veggie ravioli variations contain a small amount of cheese. Think in terms of flavor combinations, and go for one that appeals to you. If you love zucchini smothered with fresh pasta sauce, try making zucchini and tomato stuffed ravioli. If chicken is your style, add your favorite spices and herbs to finely chopped chicken and top the finished ravioli with pesto sauce. Consider adding egg and Parmesan cheese as binders or a tablespoon of bread crumbs to the mix.

Sauces

• Don't overlook the power of sauce. Mild ravioli benefit from robust sauces teeming with herbs and spices, but sometimes the ravioli filling is the main attraction. To prevent the sauce from overpowering your flavor-bursting ravioli, serve sauces light on flavor. Chopped fresh veggies such as tomatoes, a light Alfredo sauce or a sun-dried tomato sauce enhances the natural flavors of cheese or veggie ravioli. Meat ravioli generally stand up to heartier sauces. Think spicy tomato sauces to ramp up the flavor of meat ravioli.