Homemade ravioli

I find it strange that you abbreviate the word 'would' and then add an extra O to so.

Just me I guess. Carry on.

Most recipes that I've seen use egg-roll wrappers, not lasagne sheets since those are too thick. I've had less-than-stellar results when I've tried this -- about 1 in 10 opened while simmering and filling was lost. Instructions usually say just seal edges using water, and perhaps pressing with a fork is what was missing.

Midwesterner's correct, lasagne sheets are too thick. Won ton wrappers are a much better option for making your own raviolis, if you don't want to go through the process of making your own pasta.

To get a good seal on the raviolis, use a very slight amount of water (not egg) and press firmly. Too much water and it can get too gooey/mess with the gluten. A fork's not necessary, your thumb or fingers work. The objective to this, beyond the seal, is to thin the 2 layers to be the same thickness as one layer - so that the sealed part cooks in the same amount of time as the single layers surrounding the filling.

Also try to cup the filling with your hand through the pasta as you do this, to eliminate air pockets - air pockets can also cause explosions. Move around the filling in order to help work the air pockets out. But, you're always going to get a few lost ones (happens with using fresh pasta too!)

I've used wonton wrappers. You either make rather large ravioli or cut off a fair amount of the dough. I put down one wrapper, put a glop of filling in the center, wet the edges, put another wrapper on top, then press the edges together. I use a ravioli cutter to trim the edges, which also finishes sealing them. You could also fold over single wrappers, I guess, and have triangular ravioli.

When you say "lasagna sheets," are you talking about fresh pasta? I've never seen lasagna sold as anything but dried.

I've never made a meat filling, just ricotta-spinach.

This, of course, gives me an excuse to repost Italian-Swiss grandmother's ravioli recipe, for which she was justifiably famous. It was transcribed from my handwritten copy. Enjoy.

Dough for Raviolas
1 sifter full of flour
4 eggs
salt

That's it. No other instructions.

The filling

Raviolas
2 chickens (broilers) use all soft meat
50¢ veal roast (cooked) [Many years later another old Italian lady told me that meant a half pound]
2 sets brains
3 lb. spinach
1 cup sausage meat
2 or 3 eggs
3 or 4 slices of bread (soaked in milk) squeeze dry
salt & pepper and other spices if desired
Rosemary, parsley, onions, garlic and a little cinnamon.

That's it. No other instructions.

Sauce [at least this has some instructions]
1 lb. lean beef (ground). Fry in butter, add 1 chopped onion, and fry slowly. Add dry mushrooms, cut fine. Add 2 quarts canned tomatoes [these would have been home canned by her], pepper & salt, garlic. Cook.

lmao @ d_d

nutra # 5 - fresh lasagna sheets is sold in pkts at the supermkts, roughly 6 sheets per pkt.

I've thought of wonton/gow gee wrappers but they don't have the same texture as pasta - & wonder if they wld taste the same with say..a tomatoe base sauce as with the Chinese style of serving it in soup or pan fried like gyoza dumplings.

Edited by: June2

Wrappers are inexpensive and if you look a bit at recipes you'll see it's a common substitute for making your own pasta for ravioli. Purists insist you need to make your own egg-based pasta. Just try it.

I agree with the cost of wrappers. Under $2 for about 30 wrappers.

But it wld taste more Asian undertones than Italian..no?

I'd go with the won tons as well. If you decide to prepare your own dough, you could try ravioli molds. I've never used them myself, but a friend of mine uses them regularly and is a big fan. According to her, they work well because it seals the dough better so that less raviolis open when cooking.

This website has pictures and a vegetarian recipe (also recommended by my friend !)

http://www.latartinegourmande.com/2007/02/01/butternut-squash-and-sage-ravioli-ravioli-a-la-courge-musquee-et-sauge/