Semolina pasta- ravioli with ricotta/mushroom filling
We have had this ravioli plate for decades. My mother-in-law had it and when she and my father-in-law passed we inherited it. We have never used it. I often thought about tossing it but never did. The other day David mentioned ravioli on my pasta post. Well that started the wheels turning...no pun intended :) My DH made his usual pasta dough and then I looked up a few YouTube videos on ravioli and we were off. Three dozen later I can honestly say this is VERY easy. I took photos to show step by step. The filling is 4oz of baby bella mushrooms sauteed with 1/2c chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves till dry. salt and pepper to taste. Cool and add 1 c ricotta and 1/2c grated parmesan and some minced fresh basil. This will fill 3 dozen ravioli.
filling: 
ravioli plate, dust lightly with flour: 
shape indents with plastic plate: 
fill with 1 tsp filling...don't overfill and brush lightly w/water between and around each
top sheet of pasta: 
roll over HARD with the rolling pin: 
pull off extra and save to reroll: 
turn over plate and drop onto semolina dusted pan: 
3 dozen : 
Things to do differently. It says everywhere to use the finest setting, which is 6 on our machine. In the future we will use 5 for the first layer that the filling goes into and 6 for the cover. The reason is that I know a couple of these are going to burst. Leading to the next thing I will NOT overfill next time. Other than that it all went beautifully. It helps to have 4 hands...as David pointed out he and his DW ( dear wife) do this together. So harness a helper and get started. c
Comments
Maybe I can talk said DW into a ravioli project ... Hmmmm ... Two doughs fermenting and a NYB test recipe to make .... But those sure are tempting ... Quick phone call to DW who is at WFM at this moment .... Nope. It's Salmon cakes. Can't argue with one of my favorite foods. Maybe next week.
David
and with an exceptional filling!
I love salmon cakes ! I didn't get any bread going since we are leaving early in the AM. I have a lot of things I want to try when I get home.Thank you David.
Thank you nico !
Trailrunner, the ravioli and filling were beautifully done and thanks for the excellent photos. I will say that it certainly does help to have the ravioli maker form to help shape a dozen at a time. My last experience (last month) was in making the Russian/Siberian meat filled dumplngs - Pirozhki - by hand, having cut the dough circles with a three inch glass. It did take a while. But then I was working alone, without assistance of DW. Ah well...
by hand, in fact I do a pie crust version of savoury filled ones for Xmas, all by hand, all by cutting out the smallest sizes.
I do have several little forms for pirogy (local spelling) and other dumpling type pies, one set of three which goes from about 6 inch down to 2 inch, and one that is sort of similar to the ravioli plate pictured, but is made of plastic with two pockets to fill, you place the bottom sheet, fill, place a top sheet and fold the top over cutting the pockets out and sealing in one go.
If one wer good at making things you could make a wooden form, with a metal edge between the dimples and make a larger amount of them at one go. I bet there are larger things out there even in this day seems to me that I've seen one somewhere on the net in kitchen wares, maybe it was the prepared pantry sight. They have a lot of interesting stuff.
Great job. I was just wondering about your idea to roll the top and bottom doughs different thickness. I think the thinner dough will be cooked but will have to wait for the thicker dough to cook and it will get soggy in the wait. Just my thought.
I use the second to the last number on my machine to make both top and bottom even though, as you say, so many recipes tell you to use the last number on the machine.
I bet you're glad you didn't toss the ravioli maker. Like I said...great job.
weavershouse
candango...haven't made piroshki but LOVE to eat them . There seems to be lots of ways to spell the word,,,what is the right one ??? I make Chinese dumplings so I know what you mean it takes a while to shape all of them.
Weavershouse...you are right and I thought of that after I wrote it. So we will do the thicker setting...but we foiled the ravioli gods and are steaming them rather than boiling , thus no explosions...next time more dough..c
I won't ever boil ravioli again...they were much more tasteful when steamed lightly for 8 min and served with a light sauce on the side. So there you have it...a mistake leads to new ways. If we have a large group will steam ahead and then saute in butter/oil to reheat. Perfect. c
Great idea. What are the mechanics of steaming them ?
I never thought to steam the ravioli! I can't wait to try it. Do they have to be in one layer or can they be a couple of layers?
Thanks,
weavershouse
trailrunner:
I've been inspired by your (and David's) recent posts of homemade pastas. I've got some ideas going in my head. It's about time to try my hands at the new set of pasta attachments that I've yet to use. Your 'historical' ravioli plate seems to be a more effective device than the KA ravioli attachment on the market, to which some bad reviews were given. I hope your model is still available so I can get one to make wonton and not have to do it by hand.
Thanks for sharing.
Yippee
I have the same ravioli plate. It works well but you need to be careful of the pasta sticking to the plate. also if the two layers are too thick it's difficult to get them to cut all the way through. and if you over fill it the pasta ballons under the plate making it more difficult to get them out.
This is a recipie I love the best for my ravioli
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Parsnip-Parmesan-Ravioli-with-Mushroom-Ragout-11433
The only thing I do different is I oven roast the parsnips and steaming is the way to go.
I've yet to find a good mechanical device for making ravioli. I always just make a mess. Now I just make them by hand. I don't get the perfect shapes but they eat good.
eva: I have the plastic folding thingy to shape them too. I had forgotten it in the bottom of a drawer. I does work very well. I will also check that site for more things.I do a filled chimichanga with piecrust that I cut out and fill with a spicy meat filling and then bake. My kids have loved them for years and years.
saraugie: I used my wok and the bamboo steamer. Laid the raviolis on the steamer and set it over boiling water. Took 8 min. and they were wonderful. No bursting and very flavorful since they didn't get immersed in water. Served them with a grating of parmesan and some leftover red sauce that I had made and frozen. We ate 16 of them and froze the rest uncooked which is what they advise.
Yippee is is still available...23.00 or so and there is one that makes 10 larger ones instead of 12. It is very easy to use.
Faith I will have to look up that recipe. If you lightly dust the metal with AP flour there is no sticking at all. I had no problem with them coming out even the ones I overfilled. I am going to use rice flour next time just to see since it works perfectly to keep bread dough from sticking to a couche.
I hope everyone will post pics. c
I made some squash ravioli a while back..though they were tasty..way to much work rolling by hand and they were a little to thick for my liking..yours are just perfect...I guess I might break down one of these days and get the KA elec roller if all these good pastas keep showing up on TFL ; )
Sylvia
Get the Atlas machine or one of the other Itl. brands...not an electric...unless you really want one of those. Ours is fool proof and they are cheap and work great.
To steam them weavershouse do them in a single layer...I will have to try more layers but need to get a few more steamers to stack as the Chinese do. Lots to try. c