Fresh pasta storage question

[larry_stewart]

Can fresh pasta that you find in the refrigerated section be frozen / then thawed for later use to prolong storage ?

If not, what is the best way to store the fresh pasta.

I bought a bag and am only using 1/4 of it, not sure when ill eat the rest and dont want it to go to waste

Thanks

Larry

 

[Just Cooking]

For the two of us, a standard package of fresh pasta makes two or three meals, depending upon the menu..


I freeze the packages with no problems at all.. I, presently have cheese tortellini in my freezer and expect it to be good when I do use in in a week or so..

BTW... This is where my vac machine comes in handy..
Ross

 

[larry_stewart]

Great, thats what I wanted to hear.
I figured I'd try it anyway since letting it rot in the fridge was my only other option.
But knowing that someone else had success always helps.

 

[caseydog]

I have stored fresh ravioli in the freezer before with great success. Freezer burn is the enemy, so if you can vacuum-seal them first, you can keep them in the freezer for a long time. If not, just keep an eye on them, and don't let them freezer burn.

I freeze my raviolis first, then vacuum seal them, and put them back in the freezer. If the pasta isn't frozen before you vacuum seal, it can get get pretty squashed.

CD

CD

 

[medtran49]

We too have stored the commercially-made fresh pasta in the freezer. The kind we buy, Butoni I think?, even says to store it in freezer if you aren't using it within a few days.



However, I will say I don't like storing homemade pasta in the freezer once it is shaped or rolled or whatever. It seems to get brittle and break. I do freeze the dough though, especially our spinach-garlic pasta dough.

 

[tenspeed]

I'm assuming you are referring to filled pasta, and not plain pasta (e.g. linguine). Not all fresh pastas are created equal.

The pasta shop across the river makes their own filled pasta, and only sells it frozen. High moisture content filled pasta will stick together even in the fridge overnight (I learned this the hard way when I made filled pasta). That's why they are individually frozen and sold that way. The commercially made stuff from the supermarket obviously doesn't have this issue, as it's sold in bags in the refrigerated case. Still, you might want to freeze them on a baking sheet before packaging them so you don't end up with a block of pasta.

By the way, the pasta shop recommends keeping the pasta frozen until it hits the cooking water. Once they float they are done, which only takes a few minutes.

 

[caseydog]

I'm assuming you are referring to filled pasta, and not plain pasta (e.g. linguine). Not all fresh pastas are created equal.

The pasta shop across the river makes their own filled pasta, and only sells it frozen. High moisture content filled pasta will stick together even in the fridge overnight (I learned this the hard way when I made filled pasta). That's why they are individually frozen and sold that way. The commercially made stuff from the supermarket obviously doesn't have this issue, as it's sold in bags in the refrigerated case. Still, you might want to freeze them on a baking sheet before packaging them so you don't end up with a block of pasta.

By the way, the pasta shop recommends keeping the pasta frozen until it hits the cooking water. Once they float they are done, which only takes a few minutes.

Agreed! That is the other reason I freeze my raviolis first, and then vacuum seal them. If I vacuum seal them first, I end up with a frozen blob of raviolis that I can't separate. They get squished together, and stuck together.

I also toss my raviolis into boiling water frozen. I don't recall who told me to do that, but it works.

CD

 

[Just Cooking]

Yup on both comments, CD..


Ross

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...High moisture content filled pasta will stick together even in the fridge overnight (I learned this the hard way when I made filled pasta)...

This applies to any fresh dough noodle-type item. Let's just say it's a good thing we all enjoyed a dinner of my Mom's homemade pierogi the one time she made it. Cooked enough for dinner as she shaped and pinched them, and neatly layered the rest of them into a large Tupperware container. When she took them out the next night, she had one huge sweetcheese.onion.prune.sauerkraut.apricot pierogi.

 

[dragnlaw]

Freezer burn is the enemy,...
I freeze my raviolis first, then vacuum seal them, and put them back in the freezer. If the pasta isn't frozen before you vacuum seal, it can get get pretty squashed.

CD

I make and freeze Won Tons all the time. Like the others I freeze them first on a cookie sheet - then package them in individual sized bags (usually 4 or 6 to a bag- $ $tore zip sandwich or snack bags). This way I can take out however many I want. I don't vacuum seal them - the number 'n size of the bags would be prohibitive. I guess I'm just plain lucky (knock on wood) as I have not ever experienced freezer burn with them. Even the ones that have been lost and only turn up in a deep freezer dive.

We too have stored the commercially-made fresh pasta in the freezer. The kind we buy, Butoni I think?, even says to store it in freezer if you aren't using it within a few days.

However, I will say I don't like storing homemade pasta in the freezer once it is shaped or rolled or whatever. It seems to get brittle and break. I do freeze the dough though, especially ***our spinach-garlic pasta dough.

I sometimes get a fresh Mushroom Ravioli from Cosco - I have yet to master that filling! But I also freeze them in individual baggies. brown butter & sage.
*** recipe?
I too think that homemade, (other than made into ravioli) once shaped 'n rolled, etc, they seem to get brittle if frozen.
As to homemade pasta - I divide up my dough into 4 or 6 servings, wrap tightly in plastic and freeze. They look like little sausages, lol. Quick to defrost - never timed but less than an hour?

No matter what or which you do - cook from frozen, as stated when floating they are 'usually' done. Depending on size, quantity and contents - anywhere from a bare minimum of 3 minutes to 7 or maybe even 8.

 

[medtran49]

I typed up the recipe and put it on the thread Craig started 4 years ago on the spinach garlic pasta. There's something missing though I think. I'm going to have to get the book out.

 

[di reston]

When I want to freeze filled pasta, in other words, ravioli etc, I spread them on a tray first, so that the indivual pieces don't stick together, and when they are frozen I bag them in portions. If I'm freezing tagliatelle, I make 'nests' that are not too close and freeze well. It always works. And you can cook from frozen to al dente, and the're still good.


di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast Oscar Wilde