Does anyone have experience w/ making homemade ravioli?

[LaraMN]

JackMN won't eat vegetables, but he'll eat ANYTHING that is folded inside ravioli.
I want to make my own so I can fill the ravioli with veggies. It's too expensive to keep buying the pre-made stuff.

Does anyone have any advice or recipes for pasta dough that work well? I'd love to make whole wheat ravioli. I don't have a pasta machine.

[redqueen]

1. Long ago I used to make pierogies...

and if the dough is like that then it's not hard, kinda like making a pie crust. Sadly, I don't have the recipe anymore. I keep meaning to find another one so I can make those again.

[flvegan]

2. Easiest way I've ever done it is with lasagne pasta.

You know, the boxed flat lasagne pasta.

Cook it to done, drain. Cut into equal squares. On oiled foil, take one square, put veggie "stuffing" on it, then put another square on top. Use a fork to press around the edges like you would a pie. Repeat until pasta is gone. Layer baking pan with light layer of sauce, then ravioli, then more sauce. Bake. Yum.

[Midlodemocrat]

3. One thing you might want to consider

Chef Boy Ar Dee Ravioli has a serving of veggies in every serving.

BoyM is very adverse to eating anything green, so I let him have that as a snack. I also shhh, puree spinach or broccoli and put it in my meat sauce. He has no idea.

[LaraMN]

9. Oh, he loves that crap.

I'm averse to can-feeding him on a frequent basis, but I've always got some around as a back-up.

I made a batch of (frozen) butternut squash ravioli last week and he's eaten it for dinner the last three nights because he didn't like what I made for the rest of the family.

He'll also eat anything shaped like a waffle, so I puree cooked carrots and add ground flax seed to a whole wheat mix, and I call them "super waffles."

[supernova]

4. WonTon wrappers

are what you want. They make great ravioli.

They are fresh dough in the produce case.

Fill them with whatever you want... a little ricotta to hold it together.

egg wash to glue to two pieces together.

edit: They cook in minutes... toss them in boiling water and as soon as they float, they're done, about 2 minutes.

[MrCoffee]

5. That's MrsCoffee's preferred method, too...delicious ravioli

[supernova]

6. Forgot where I first saw that idea

You can make ravioli from scratch, but it is very labor intensive.

I have a pasta machine and a ravolii stamp. Though it is good, it's an all day project, to be sure. :P

Won Ton wrappers are excellent. :thumbsup:

What kinds of fillings does MrsCoffee use?

[MrCoffee]

7. She makes a shrimp and spinach ravioli with a tomato-cream sauce that will knock you over

She also makes a killer sirloin and mushroom ravioli, but that shrimp and spinach is fantabulous.


We had to chuck our lousy pasta maker because, well, it was lousy. She really wants the pasta attachment for the Kitchen Aid.

[LaraMN]

8. Wonderful! Thank you!

I will definitely try that!

:*

[surrealAmerican]

10. There is a bit of a learning curve to making fresh pasta.

You need to get a feel for how moist the dough should be before rolling it. Whole wheat flour will also make this more difficult. It's easier to use semolina with or without all-purpose flour.
Here's a basic pasta dough recipe:

3/4 cup flour
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon warm water

Combine dry ingredients in a mound on the counter. Make a "well" in the center.
Break egg into the well, add oil. Beat egg and oil together in center.
Mix progressively more of the dry ingredients into the egg and oil until all are combined. Add water if the mixture is at all crumbly.
Let the dough rest (covered) for about 20 minutes.

Now roll:
On a floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle. Fold into thirds, roll again. Add more flour as needed. Repeat until dough is smooth.
Roll to desired thickness.

If you can get a copy of "The Joy of Pasta" by Joe Famularo & Louise Imperiale, it is well worth it. They have numerous recipes, and good explanations.