Raviolishing – how to make ravioli at home
Ravioli is rumoured to have been invented by sailors in Northern Italy: seeking ways to use every precious scrap of food they would grind up leftovers and stuff them into squares of raw pasta dough, which could be cooked at a later stage. This is further evidence that Italians are intrinsically refined and awesome (remember the white-leather-clad policemen?)
In its many and various forms pasta is usually found dry – as it lasts longer than fresh pasta – and can be broadly categorised into long and small/shaped. On this note, here’s a helpful thought from pasta whizz, Matt Wade:
“Long pastas work best with seafood pasta recipes – such as those involving muscles, prawns, clams etc. This is because these dishes tend to be quite oily which helps the long pasta move. Meat and ricotta pasta sauces are better suited to small pasta shapes. With their large, uneven surface areas, pastas like rigatoni, conchiglie (shells), penne and fusilli can physically hold more dribbly sauce – meaning fewer mishaps between dish and mouth!“
Ravioli is made from sheets of fresh pasta dough, which are rolled out and made into little filled parcels with a special mechanised ravioli maker (1), rolling pin (2) or mould tray (3).
There are all sort of delightful things with which to fill ravioli. And don’t just think savoury – we stumbled across recipes for chocolate ravioli (and chocolate lasagna?).
Ravioli can’t be dried due to its perishable stuffing of meat and vegetables and most people buy it frozen and readymade. This is a pity because ravioli-making is one of those quintessentially heartwarming activities – on a par with sticking one’s hands into fresh, dark earth or breathing in icy mountain air. To give it a go, here’s what you’ll need:
1. Well kneaded, fresh pasta dough (easy peasy to make)
2. Filling (the ultimate destination for leftovers – get inspired here)
3. Ravioli mould tray, rolling pin, or mechanised maker
4. Patience
Below are the ravioli mould trays we have available, from Italian pasta specialists Imperia:
Feed your innner Italian mama/papa and make some raviolishing delight in the comfort of your own home.