I'm making some ravioli for Christmas but I wanted to make the pasta ahead of time. Can I freeze fresh pasta for later use? Should I freeze in balls or is it better to freeze in sheets rolled to the max thickness from my pasta machine?

Your inquiry might be better answered here.

It's better to cut your pasta first. If you are cutting to linguine, spaghetti, etc., do so first and hang to dry, about an hour. Lay finished cut sheet pasta (lasagne, et al.), to dry as well. (You're looking to dry to a just past medium-dry point, about the same level that fresh pasta at the supermarket is dried to.)

Gather cut pasta into loose 'nest's' in serving sizes, loosely roll sheet pasta, then place in Ziplocs and freeze. Use within 2 months. Cook from the frozen state; don't thaw first.

Kevin, so I guess thawing causes a problem? What I wanted to do is make the pasta in bulk now, then later thaw and make the ravioli. Maybe I should make the filling now and the pasta later.

Thawing can cause problems for, especially, cut strand pasta. For sheet pasta that you're going to shape (as for ravioli, et al.), cut to a reasonable length, then stack on parchment that's been cut a bit larger than the pasta, placing parchment in between the dough sheets as well. (To make the pasta easier to handle, after drying par-freeze the sheets on parchment-lined, already frozen sheetpans for a few minutes before stacking them, laying the sheets on the cold pans in one layer and placing in the freezer for a few minutes.) Freeze in stacks no more than 5 or 6 sheets high, making multiple stacks if needed.

For use, thaw just long enough to separate the pasta sheets then, leaving each sheet on its parchment, arrange next to each other on the counter, cover with plastic wrap then lay a lightly dampened kitchen towel over the plastic. Wait just long enough till the pasta is workable then make your raviloi.

Alternatively, why not make your ravioli and freeze them?

That's what I've done in the past but I have problems with them cracking. The butternut squash was the worst, almost all of those cracked. I wanted to see if I could simplify the process because I like to make meat and cheese raviloi and last year I added the BN squash. I figured I could make one type a night, making the filling while the pasta thawed. I would just have to roll it out and fill. I'm going to try crawfish ravioli this year (not for Christmas Eve - that's strictly Italian) just trying to think of how I'll color and flavor the pasta, ancho pepper?

Thanks for the reply, if I get the time this week I'll make a batch and see how it freeze/thaws.

quote:

just trying to think of how I'll color and flavor the pasta, ancho pepper?

I'd consider beet powder, tomato powder or possibly a mix of the two.

How thin are you rolling your pasta?

quote:

just trying to think of how I'll color and flavor the pasta, ancho pepper?

Might I also suggest annatto (achiote) for nice coloring.

Paul

quote:

Originally posted by K Kruger:

I'd consider beet powder, tomato powder or possibly a mix of the two.

How thin are you rolling your pasta?

To the thinnest setting on the machine depending on how the pasta rolls out. I was thinking sun-dried tomato.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul K:

quote:

just trying to think of how I'll color and flavor the pasta, ancho pepper?

Might I also suggest annatto (achiote) for nice coloring.

Paul

Hmmm, annatto oil?