Making Cheese-Filled Ravioli
I enjoy making ravioli over the holidays, and once again this year, I dragged out my trusty ravioli form. It's a two piece set that is available in kitchenware stores. The form makes a dozen ravioli at a time, making it a great time saver.
Make a basic pasta dough from 4 cups unbleached all purpose flour, a pinch of salt and four large eggs. You can do the whole thing in a food processor or by hand. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Gather it into a ball and let it rest covered on a floured surface for 30 minutes. I use an inverted bowl to cover it.
Meanwhile, make the filling from:
1 ½ pounds ricotta cheese
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
salt to taste
a grinding of black pepper
1 large egg.
Mix everything well and set aside. Take the rested dough and divide it into 4 pieces. Keep the pieces covered as you work with one at a time. Flatten the dough with a rolling pin into a 5-inch square. Then thin the dough down in a hand crank pasta machine until it is the thickness of a sheet of copy paper. You may need to cut the sheet of dough in half crosswise if it is too long. Place a sheet on the bottom part of the serrated form. With the top of the form make small indentations pressing with it on the sheet of dough on the serrated bottom form. Fill the indentations with a teaspoonful of the ricotta cheese filling. Place a second sheet of dough over the filling, then use a rolling pin to roll over the form. This will cut the ravioli and allow them to release from the form. Gather the scraps of dough from around the form and re-roll. Continue making ravioli as described and place them on towel lined baking sheets, spacing them apart.
I make layers of ravioli on clean towels, then freeze them until hard before transferring them to plastic bags. You should have about 12 dozen ravioli.
When ready to cook, take what is needed from the plastic bags and do not defrost them. Place them directly into boiling water and cook about 3 minutes. Drain well and top with your favorite sauce.
User Comments
Dan G said on January 03, 2012
What other fillings do you like?
mary Ann Esposito said on January 04, 2012
If your dough crumbles it is too dry; you can always correct by adding a spoonful of warm water a little at a time until you get the right consistency, like bread dough. Other fillings I like are squash and amaretti and spinach and ricotta and chicken and lemon.
Mandy L. said on January 17, 2012
I watch you all the time on Create.
I am looking for a homemade pasta recipe.
Tho the recipes I find do not include it..I thought it included olive oil. Does it not?
IS it just flour, eggs, and salt?
I am looking to make homemade because of some dental issues, I am hoping it will be a little softer.
Thanks,
Mandy
Mary Ann Esposito said on January 17, 2012
You can add olive oil to the dough if you wish; there are many variations of making pasta in the regions of Italy; some add white wine, some add egg whites