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 Post subject: Making ravioli, agnolotti
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:24 am 
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Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 7:18 pm
Posts: 1244
Lisa's thread on pasta timing prompted me to post this. I must confess, I am ravioli challenged. I can make a silky pasta dough (egg or no egg) that rolls perfectly through my Atlas roller. But every time I try to make ravioli or agnolotti, I curse profusely. Last week was my last frustrated attempt at agnolotti. So I seek your pointers on how to form agnolotti, and how to ensure that your ravioli stay sealed without spending minutes per each ravioli pressing the edges with a fork (the only way I can make them stay together). Please include what types of tools you use to cut/crimp the dough, and what techniques work for you. Thanks!


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 Post subject: Re: Making ravioli, agnolotti
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:29 am 
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Yay, Darcie! I am hoping to sponge some knowledge off this thread as well.

--Lisa


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 Post subject: Re: Making ravioli, agnolotti
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:15 pm 
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Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 7:37 pm
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Location: Telluride, CO
For agnolotti I use a strip of dough then evenly portion my filling along the middle of the top half. I then brush water in a horseshoe pattern facing down around the filling. I pull up the bottom dough up over the top, and press both on top and each side to make a seal. The key is to make sure there is as little air as possible in the agnolotti, otherwise they'll burst in the water. I then use a simple ruffled pastry cutter to trim between and on top. A lot of it also has to do with the hydration of the pasta dough. It can't be too wet or too dry.

My method for ravioli is similar, although it's two strips of dough, and I use a fluted cutter.

I've got a nice recipe for ravioli dough which works for me well. Let me find it, and I'll post it.

Amy

Edited to add: A lot of people don't roll out their dough enough. I letter fold the dough(adding flour between each fold) up to ten times on the widest setting. When it ripples, it's time to start rolling the dough down.


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 Post subject: Re: Making ravioli, agnolotti
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:20 pm 
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Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:29 am
Posts: 454
Location: York PA
Looking forward to that recipe Amy. I've been hungry for some fresh pasta.
kathy


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 Post subject: Re: Making ravioli, agnolotti
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:32 pm 
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Location: Telluride, CO
Kathy,

While I'm normally very organized, the recipe is written in a notebook I absolutely cannot find.

The recipe is based on a Mario Batali recipe which uses boiling water in the dough. I've never been able to find it online, but if someone else can, that would be great.

It must be a case of CRS...I couldn't find my gold leaf for a dessert a couple of weeks ago, and it took me about two hours to find.

Amy


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 Post subject: Re: Making ravioli, agnolotti
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 2:00 pm 
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Location: Telluride, CO
Found it!

This is scaled to restaurant proportions, so rescale as necessary:

6 c. flour
3 tsp. salt
3 oz. butter (in chips) or duck fat (which is what I use)
1 1/2 c. boiling water (it makes the dough tender)

Combine flour, salt and butter (duck fat) in FP until it forms a coarse meal. Add boiling water until it forms a ball. Rest. Divide and roll out.

Amy

P.S. This isn't a dough that should ripple when rolled...it's intentionally very soft unlike many other pasta doughs.


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 Post subject: Re: Making ravioli, agnolotti
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 2:35 pm 
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Posts: 946
I wet my ravioli seal areas as well (I just use my finger dipped in water, truth be told). Seal well with as little air in them as possible, and then cut with a fluted cutter as Amy says. If there is air in your finished ravioli, a needle prick works to avoid explosions, but can also mar slightly the look of your ravioli. The other thing I have found invaluable is the advice I was given about the water temp when cooking - you want a medium simmer and not a full boil. It prevents mishaps. The fuller you fill them, the more likely they are to come apart as well (much as I love large fillings, smaller filled pouches seem to be more stable), especially if you want to cook a full batch together rather than just a few at a time.

If freezing the ravioli then using the fork technique helps quite a bit. Or you can really wet the edges, press them extra well, and let them sit out for a bit to fully glue together before you freeze. Otherwise the freezer dries out the seal and they are more prone to coming open when you cook them. Also, don't let them stay in the freezer too long...even mild freezer burn seems to make the tops split open on me.

Amy, that recipe looks great! I'm going to try it next time I get inspired to make some.

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Carey


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 Post subject: Re: Making ravioli, agnolotti
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 2:39 pm 
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Location: Telluride, CO
Excellent advice Carey!

I've got some lobster in the freezer I need to use...maybe I'll make lobster/mascarpone ravioli this week!

Amy


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 Post subject: Re: Making ravioli, agnolotti
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:14 pm 
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Location: York PA
Yum, Yum. Thanks, Amy.


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 Post subject: Re: Making ravioli, agnolotti
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:53 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:56 am
Posts: 531
Location: Virginia
FWIW, these presses are invaluable when I make ravioli. I used to use the open stamps but they've been gathering dust since I discovered this alternative several years ago. I got mine at a restaurant supply place but saw them on clearance not long ago at the W-S near me. (I think I've also seen them at online places like Fantes too.) http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/spring-loaded-ravioli-stamps/?pkey=e|ravioli%2Bstamp|2|best|0|1|24||2&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules-_-

The press "packs" the filling inside the dough so the ravioli is tight and full, and as long as I don't use too much filling (that's really important), they don't open up or burst. I do brush the edge of the pasta sheet with either water or an egg wash before I fold it over and stamp them, but I never have to go over the edge again with a fork, or pierce them before cooking.

Also, I dip the press in flour every few stamps to keep the ravioli from sticking to it. And along with Carey, I closely watch the temp of the water to keep it from a rapid boil. Another thing I've found that helps is not to roll the pasta too thin. When I'm rolling it for lasagna or a rolled noodle like cannelloni, I go to 7 or 8 thickness on my KA. But for ravioli I only take it to 6. Another thing that helps is not allowing the dough to dry out. I'm careful to only roll what I need as I go along, or else to put the sheets into a large lidded container with dishtowels between the layers. That way the dough sheets stay pliable and easily adhere to each other.

I actually did a pasta/ravioli photo-tutorial for a friend last year who was just learning the ins and outs of homemade pasta. If I can find it, I'll put them together in a pdf and post it. (But of course that's just my way of doing it -- it might not make the most sense but it works for me.)

Emilie


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