Need advice with a pasta experiment.

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I want to make raviollis that are amazing. Now before I start, I already know how to make my own pasta, and ravioli fillings, and what kind of sauce to use with them. But I want to really go over the top with this. My idea is to use a pie-iron to make giant raviolli, where one raviloi is a meal. But I'm worried about the techniqe for joining the pasta sides together in such a way so they don't come apart while cooking the thing. And what method should I use.

I would think that because they are very large, the filling should be pre-cooked, to prevent overcooking the pasta while the filling goes from raw to cooked. I would also think the pasta should be thicker, to hold the filling without breaking. And finally, I would think that the pasta needs to be brushed with egg-wash before it is filled and formed, to help it retain its integrity. Maybe I should bake the ravili before boiling, again to help maintain structural integrity.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Has anyone else tried to make giant raviolli and what were your results?

I might just have to make this for tonight's supper.

Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Andy M.]

You might consider steaming the ravs instead of boiling. It would be more gentle.

Another option would be to try egg roll wrappers as the pasta for the ravs. They are thin but sturdy.

I agree you might be better off cooking the filling first, depending on the nature of the filing.

 

[GB]

I can understand doing this for the sake of doing it, but my initial though was that when served, each bite would contain so little pasta since the ration of filling to pasta would be so skewed towards the filling that it would not be worth it.

 

[Katie H]

G'weed, one thing you should do when you fill the ravoli is to be sure you don't have an air pocket, which would cause your pasta pillows to have a blow-out. Yes, the egg wash is a good idea to help keep them sealed.

As for cooking them, I think I might gently simmer them, one by one, in a shallow skillet of water. Turn them once with a spatula. That might be a way to boil them without any risk of damaging them.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I can understand doing this for the sake of doing it, but my initial though was that when served, each bite would contain so little pasta since the ration of filling to pasta would be so skewed towards the filling that it would not be worth it.

I'll make the pasta thicker than normal. But you are right. I'm doing this as an experiment, just to see if it can be done, and for the Wow! factor. How it works, I'll let everyone know.

And Katie; Great ideas. Thanks.

Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[GB]

It will definitely have a wow factor if you can pull it off.

 

[ironchef]

I've done what Andy said, using large egg roll wrappers (about 8-9" square). I don't seal it though. It's called a "free-form ravioli".

 

[*amy*]

I want to make raviollis that are amazing. Now before I start, I already know how to make my own pasta, and ravioli fillings, and what kind of sauce to use with them. But I want to really go over the top with this. My idea is to use a pie-iron to make giant raviolli, where one raviloi is a meal. But I'm worried about the techniqe for joining the pasta sides together in such a way so they don't come apart while cooking the thing. And what method should I use.

I would think that because they are very large, the filling should be pre-cooked, to prevent overcooking the pasta while the filling goes from raw to cooked. I would also think the pasta should be thicker, to hold the filling without breaking. And finally, I would think that the pasta needs to be brushed with egg-wash before it is filled and formed, to help it retain its integrity. Maybe I should bake the ravili before boiling, again to help maintain structural integrity.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Has anyone else tried to make giant raviolli and what were your results?

I might just have to make this for tonight's supper.

Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

This is part of a thread explaining using one won ton skin on top of another (filling in the center), pressing the air out, sealing & using a pizza cutter on the edges. This will give you a larger ravioli, but not one giant meal-sized porrtion.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/showpost.php?p=463593&postcount=5

http://www.discusscooking.com/forum...-fresh-tomato-sauce-rec-36939.html#post463593

What comes to mind is either a calzone, or pizza that's folded in half called a Pazone - a cross between a pizza and a calzone. You would probably want to bake it as you would a pizza. Another thought - use fresh pasta sheets and cut to size.

 

[kadesma]

GW,
I make ravs not the big ones but reg size..If I were to try making a large one I'd not have the dough to thick, My ravs when put together you can just notice the green from the spinach through the dough. I have a large rav roller that marks each square, then I use a jagged edge tool to cut them out..This presses the side together and and helps keep them sealed. A straight edge like a pizza cutter doesn't do the job good enough..I drop mine into boiling water and let it come back to a boil and let it go til I like the bite to the tooth it gives. I always use a wooden spoon, metal will tend to cut the dough easier..I usually boil gently abot 20 minutes. then drain and layer into my bowl, ravs,cheese,gravy and repeat til all are used. Hope this helps a little. I'd not bake them your dough is apt to get hard and crack, oiling them is really a waste of time, just boil gently sauce them and enjoy..If using a meat filling if it is fine enough you don't have to pre cook it, the water bath will do it for you..
kadesma, I might have forgotten something here as I'm bushed right now, so good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[Dave Hutchins]

Egg rool skins are great they do not break as easy as dough skins and I would boil in a shallow amount of water.or you could deep fry them I have hade these as apitizer and as a full entre.. seal them with a whole egg wash this a chefs best glue.. Lots of luck

 

[ChefJune]

One is a Raviolo!

I would only brush the edges of the dough to help seal it.

I've seen open faced giant ravioli served singly in a soup dish. can be extremely impressive.

 

[*amy*]

Getting back to your original goal/query

... My idea is to use a pie-iron to make giant raviolli, where one raviloi is a meal. But I'm worried about the techniqe for joining the pasta sides together in such a way so they don't come apart while cooking the thing. And what method should I use... I would also think the pasta should be thicker, to hold the filling without breaking. And finally, I would think that the pasta needs to be brushed with egg-wash before it is filled and formed, to help it retain its integrity. Maybe I should bake the ravili before boiling, again to help maintain structural integrity...

As I understood it, you want to make ONE large meal size ravioli using a pie iron. Since I have not tried dough in a pie iron, I suggested a calzone, Pazone baking method to accomodate a thicker dough/hold all the filling for ONE large ravioli. I would not bake the ravioli and then boil. Noticed some of the replys addressed how to make ravioli - don't bake, don't use a pizza cutter, how to seal. That depends on the dough (encasing), size and amount of filling you add.

In keeping with your original idea - ONE large meal-size ravioli, I would go with a Pazole (or calzone). A Pazole was advertised by Pizza Hut (it's not a ravioli, but it is dough with a large amount of filling). Tried to get a pic, but don't see it on their site. Basically, it looks like half a pizza folded over the fillings. I wanted to experiment myself making a Pazole at home, and this is an idea I'm toying with...

Prepare your dough, on the thicker side, as you would for a pizza dough. Lay it out in a circle and place your filling(s) on half of the dough. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling, crimp the dough to seal. I might poke some holes in the top with tines of a fork to allow steam? to escape. Brush or not with a wash - still working on that one. Then place on a baking sheet or pizza stone and bake. Voila - One large dough encased ravioli/calzone/half a pizza - or whatever you want to call it. Boiling one huge meal sized-ravioli will probably break apart, no matter how you seal it.

Back to the pie iron - perhaps dough or over stuffed dough will work in a pie iron - not sure. It might squish when you fold it over.

We all use different cooking methods - it's what you want to achieve as a final result, & based on personal cooking experience, that makes the recipe work.

ETA: I would precook the fillings & drain, except for cheese, so the dough does not get soggy.

 

[ironchef]

Here's a pic of a lobster raviolo that I did awhile back.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

well I did it and it came out grand. I've got pictures but need to find that darned USB cable for my camera before I can show you. Here's how I did it.

I made a sauce consisting of 1/2 lb. ground beef, to which I added 8 oz. chopped cremini mushrooms. I cooked this until the mushrooms were tender and the chunks fo ground beef were cooked through. Then I added one 6 oz. can of tomato sauce and 1 small can of tomato paste. I seasoned it with oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary. I then added garlic and onion and let it cook for about 20 minutes. I tasted and had to add more thyme and rosemary. I then added 1/4 lb. each of grated medium cheddar and jack cheese, along with 1/2 cup freshley grated romano. I stirred it all together until the cheese was completely combined with the sauce. I let it all cool.

While the filling was cooling, I made the fresh pasta dough and divided it into four equal portions. It was then rolled to the thickness of pie-crust. I brushed EVOO onto the inside surface of the pit irons and placed one sheet of dough. Egg-wash was brushed all over the dough. I heaped a generous helping of the filling into the dough, pressing it into the hollow to remove as mush air as possible. I then brushed a second sheet with egg-was and placed it over the filling and bottome crust. I then squeezed out as much air as possible and closed the pie iron. I palced the iron over the gas flame of my cooktop and baked for two minutes per side, enough to set the egg without cooking the dough. I poured 1/2 of the remaining sauce into a 10" fry pan and sucessfully removed the ravioli to the pan. I followed the same cooking technique with the 2nd ravioli. I mixed a 1/4 cup of water to the remaining sauce and poured all of it over the raviolies. I covered and simmered all over very low heat for thirty minutes, letting the mosture from the sauce cook the raviolies. They came out perfect. Each ravioli measured about 4 inches squarec and about an inch thick. My wife loved hers but could only consume half of it. I ate all of mine. This recipe was an unqualified success.

By using the sauce to cook the pasta, I avoided having to move it around, or having it over-cooked and falling apart in the water. I will make this dish again, maybe changing the filling. There are all kinds of possibilities with this technique.

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions.

Seeeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Here's the pictures:

 

[ironchef]

Nice job GW. Good to see that at least one person on here is trying new things and expanding their culinary repetoire.

 

[GB]

Very impressive GW! Great work.

 

[Katie H]

Great job, G'weed. Looks delicious. I also like your Corningware dishes.

 

[ChefJune]

Way to go, GoodWeed!

 

[*amy*]

Ditto! Looks Delish!!!