
LC Not-So-Giant Ravioli Note
Domenica tells us you can make eight smaller ravioloni for serving as a first course to eight people by dividing the filling and dough into eight equal portions rather than four. You could. But why would you?
Ravioloni | Giant Ravioli
Special Equipment: Fluted pastry wheel (although a knife will do in a pinch)
Ingredients
- For the filling
- For assembling the giant ravioli
Directions
Place the ricotta in a large bowl and work it with a spatula until fluffy and sort of smoothish. Fold in the Parmigiano, ricotta salata, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a little pepper. Taste and add additional salt, if you like. Fold in the eggs just until combined. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the pasta dough. (You can refrigerate it for for up to 2 days.)
Cover a large workspace with a clean tablecloth or several flour sack towels and sprinkle the cloth with the semolina. Have on hand a fluted pastry wheel for cutting the ravioloni, a wide spatula for moving them, and a small bowl or glass of water for sealing them.
Cut the pasta dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap 3 pieces in plastic wrap and set aside. Roll out the remaining piece of pasta dough on a lightly floured work surface until it’s about 1/16 inch thick and 28 or so inches long. Cut the dough in half crosswise to make two strips, each about 14 inches long. Spoon 1/4 of the ricotta filling onto the center of one strip and use the back off the spoon to spread it into a half-moon shape, leaving a generous border. Using your fingertips, spread a little water on the border around the filling. Place the second strip of dough over the first and gently press around the filling and along the edges to force out any air bubbles and to seal. If you have a fluted pastry wheel, use it to trim around the edges to create a ravioli in the shape of a half-moon about 9 inches long. Otherwise use a knife. Use the wide spatula to transfer the raviolone onto the flour-dusted cloth. Repeat with the remaining dough and ricotta filling, discarding any pasta scraps. (If you’re serving the ravioloni the same day, you can leave them out on the tablecloth for up to 2 hours before cooking. The uncooked ravioloni may also be frozen. Just divide them between 2 semolina-dusted rimmed baking sheets, taking care they do not touch. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer each to a large resealable plastic bag and return to the freezer for up to 1 month. Cook them directly from the freezer.)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously. Carefully lower 2 ravioloni into the pot. Cover the pot until the water returns to a boil, then uncover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until al dente. Using a wide skimmer, very carefully lift the ravioloni out of the pot one at a time, letting the excess water drip off. Place the ravioloni on individual plates and cover lightly with aluminum foil to keep warm while you cook the remaining two ravioloni in the same way. (Or you can transfer the plates of cooked ravioloni to a low-temperature oven to keep them warm.)
Spoon a thin layer of smooth tomato sauce over each raviolone, then dribble a few drops of oil over each one. Sprinkle lightly with Parmigiano and serve immediately.
Recipe Testers' Tips
The ravioloni are filling, but also rather light fare, considering their size. The cheeses inside and the simple tomato sauce over it all really need only a few shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano to complete the meal. Well, perhaps a nice Chianti to sip alongside. Large spatula(s) and careful attention will be required when removing the ravioloni from the pot or they may break. I merely paused for a few seconds, hovering each piece over the pot while the few drips fell back into the simmering water, before placing it on a warmed plate. I let the cow’s milk ricotta sit overnight to drain. Good thing, because the filling was soft enough when I finished mixing it. I got about 1/2 cup of liquid out of the ricotta. I think some types may have more liquid than others. I couldn’t get the ravioloni any larger than about 9-inches, nor would I want to. And you need to start early in the day to make this, or pace it over a few days. I made the sauce, the dough, and the filling one day. Then rolled out the pasta dough, made the ravioloni, and reheated the sauce the second day.
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Jackie Gorman
The filling is very subtle and good. If any of you are able to find fresh whole–milk ricotta cheese, made by Calabro, a company in East Haven, CT., do yourself a favor and buy it. This particulare ricotta comes in a tin that resembles a small planter pot. The tin holds 1 1/2 pounds and comes domed over the top (like you would get with an ice cream cone) and covered with plastic.