Is Ravioli Hard To Make?

Question

I've Entered A Cooking Comp N Im Making Ravioli But My Mum Says Its Hard To Make. Im Trying It Next Weekend But Is It Hard?

Answer 1

Don't know if this helps but rather than combing ravioli shells as another answerer described, we used to make ravioli using biscuit cutters (plain round ones, not fluted). You use one medium cutter for the base and a large one for the top. Make your filling, ensuring it is quite dry and roll it into little balls. Then you egg-wash the base and the top where they are going to meet, place the ball of filling inside and smooth the top over. You want the top to fit snugly over the filling so you use your fingertips and rub gently from the top of the ball downwards and all around the base of the ball so that the pasta is tucked tightly around it - use the tips of your little fingers for this as it is quite delicate and you may tear the pasta if you are too rough with it. Then just continue smoothing the edges of the ravioli to ensure a good seal all around. I can give you a pasta recipe that is tried and tested if you want one: you can either add edit or e-mail me.
I would advise you to get hold of a proper pasta machine if you can for rolling your sheets of pasta as it takes forever with a rolling pin - although it is possible: you just have to bear down on it very firmly. Pasta dough is quite dry and tight compared to other doughs, which makes it difficult to work by hand. You need to avoid over-handling or adding too much flour to your dough as this will make it drier and tighter still. Also, the answerer who stated the importance of using proper pasta flour was quite correct: you will not get the same results if you don't use the right flour. I'm not an expert but I have made and studied pasta in the course of my work as a chef. Unlike you, I have never entered any competitions although work situations often put you under similar pressures to get the job done efficiently as possible. Let me know if you want pasta recipe. Making your filling will be first job as you need to dry it well enough to roll into balls. Excess liquid will ruin your pasta as will any cracks in your ravioli which will cause it to explode/come apart when you cook it.
Also, make sure your water is on a rolling boil (bubbling away but not furiously) when you place your ravioli in and that you have added oil and a little salt to the water. Anyway, I hope this helps you and that you didn't find it way too patronising!! Good Luck! John/TOBERMORY.
PS: If this ravioli sounds really shite to you, this is probably because you cannot envisage the colour. Adding saffron powder to your dough (you need minute quantities only) gives it a rich golden yellow colour which livens it up no end. Tumeric is the poor man's alternative but it's not quite the same thing.

Answer 2

WOW look at your inspiration! I would be researching raviolis online fast! Ravioli is about as hard as making gnocci for me. The filling has to be made seperate, the pasta sheets have to be made and then filled. Filling is the easy part, besides cutting them up. Good luck to you.

Answer 3

its time consuming and for myself the hard part is combing the shells without making them look unprofessional.

open ravioli with crayfish and butternut squash sauce is my speciality though :)

Answer 4

It is not hard, but there is a trick to getting the noodle dough right. Buy pasta flour, not all purpose. It is made with hard wheat and has more gluten which makes a more elastic dough.

Answer 5

It's not hard but it is very time consuming. If it's a timed competition you may run into problems.

Answer 6

not at all just a couple of mins to open the can and warm in microwave
sorry im a divvy

Answer 7

I wouldn't say hard, but very time consuming.

Answer 8

you can buy it fresh at any super market noone will know trust
me