Customer Reviews

VillaWare V5500 10-Square Ravioli Maker

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great product if you already have a pasta machine. I've made Italian ravioli and Asian-style won-ton with it. It's a lot of fun and, of course, nothing beats homemade. The mold is very heavy and the holes are just the right size for filling. It's been through the dishwasher several times with no problems (though you can easily just wipe it with a cloth if you didn't get any filling on it).

My only complaint is that once you have put the ravioli together and are rolling over the top pasta sheet to cut them, you have to press down fairly hard to indent them so they come apart easily without ripping. The raised zig-zag could be a bit pointier than it is (I don't mean sharp) to cut the pasta easier. As it is, the zig-zag is somewhat rounded. By pressing so hard (which is probably necessary to seal the pasta completely), the bottom layer sticks to the mold, causing the ravioli to split when you try and get it out.

After making several batches, I've found out how to overcome the problem. Make sure you rub just a hint of oil onto the mold. This keeps them from sticking and hence ripping, allowing you to pull them apart along the zigzags more easily.

I gave this four stars because it does tend to leave lots of air in the finished ravioli, which often leads to ravioli "popping" while cooking. The are two methods for dealing with this problem. The first is to simply overstuff the ravioli such that there is no room for air. By overstuff, I mean fill until level, so you're putting in more than a traditional ravioli would have, approx 1 tablespoon of filling. Much more than that, and you will have another kind of popping problem. Or if you prefer, leave the air in the ravioli, then use a small skewer to poke a hole in the ravioli and use a melon baller or similar device to push down on the ravioli. The filling will collect under the concave surface of the melon baller, and you can squeeze the air out.
Also, simply sealing the ravioli can result in breakage during cooking. I recommend using a egg wash (1 whole egg, around 1/2 to 1 tsp water, mixed). Just brush the egg wash on the first sheet of dough where it overlies the metal serrations. Then place the second sheet over it, and proceed normally. The egg wash acts like a glue to seal the edges.
Finally, if you're having ravioli stick to the mold, simply dust generously with flour before using. Then when ravioli are complete, flip it over, and sharply whack it upside down on the counter...the ravioli should pop right out, and the extra flour will dissolve in the cooking water.
By the way, if you're making lots of cheesy ravioli, try filling with a pastry bag with a big tip...saves lots of time.

This little device works well enough if you follow some basic precepts.

Firstly, you will need a source of noodle dough (your hand-cranked pasta maker, an extruder on a machine or an Italian grandmama.) Once you have your nicely rolled two layers of dough, and filling of choice, push the plastic mold gently (GENTLY!) down on the dough as it lies on the cutting mold, then pop a teaspoonful of filling into the center of each depression. Top with the other layer of dough, sealing it with water (or beaten egg yolk in my case as I am a coward) then press with a rolling pin. The serrated ridges cut the double layer of dough and filling into those beloved little dumplings.

HOWEVER! woe unto you if you overfill the pockets, letting ricotta seep out and destroy the dough's sealing powers. Or if you fail to press hard enough to cut apart the raviolis. Watery fillings don't cut it, so squeeze out that spinach and watch that lobster mousse. If you follow directions and have the right touch, all will go well. If you fail to be careful, the boiling raviolis will split open, fall apart and otherwise cause massive kitchen frustration.

It's worth it, however, if you are tired of freezer ravioli. A few fancy seafood-filled ones on a plate napped with saffron-scented cream sauce and your friends will think you are a magician. Try salmon filling and dill sauce, too.

This simple well-built product does a very good job of making raviolis. Villaware makes another version of this for smaller ravioli that also works quite well.

I've used this with a variety of pasta doughs (semolina only, traditional, both very thin and thick) and it works consistently well.

A couple of tips -

As another reviewer pointed out, the zig-zag cutters are relatively dull and require some real force to cut the pasta. Oiling them lightly seems to improve things and prevents the pasta from sticking to the frame.

Wash the machine very thoroughly before using. The one I bought had an unexpected amount of grease on it. Put it in the dishwasher before using and all will be well.

Don't overfill the ravioli. When you press them through the mold the seams between the top and bottom layers will weaken, and the ravioli will break up when being cooked. I'm not suggesting parsimony, just don't cram too much in.

Don't make the ravioli dough too thin. On my Atlas pasta machine I set it at #4. Very thin dough will tear when being made into ravioli and is more likely to break apart when being boiled. Thick dough works, it just doesn't taste as good.

Last point - mine came with a mini rolling pin. Give it to a little kid to play with, it's not good for much else.

Despite the minor quibbles I had with this product, I'm sure glad I bought it. If you ever saw the tasty but misshapen lumps of ravioli I used to make, you'll understand why.

This ravioli maker is simple and easy to use. Some of the reviews on here make it sound more complicated than it actually is. The only advice I would give is to brush some beaten egg around the edges to help "glue" them in place. Honestly, I don't even know if that's necessary, since I haven't made raviolis without doing it. I suspsect that dough made with eggs would be sticky enough on its own. The cutters are sharp enough to cut the raviolis while not being so sharp that the edges don't crimp. The rest is just common sense. If you're like me and only wish to make two or three dozen at a time, this item is an excellent choice. It has no moving parts and is very easy to clean.

I made a few batches with one of these over the last few weeks, and learned some valuable lessons:

1. Use corn starch, not flour, to keep the pasta dough from clinging to the mold. I put corn starch in a powdered-sugar-type shaker/dredger, and I give the first sheet of dough a good sifting on one side. Then I flip that over so the cornstarched side is facing down, against the ravoli form. After I put the second sheet over the filling, I dust the top with more cornstarch before rolling -- that way it wont stick to the rolling pin either, and when I invert the mold over a parchment-lined cookie sheet, the raviloi won't stick to the parchement paper. Note that you want to avoid getting cornstarch BETWEEN the two layers of pasta, as it will inhibit their sealing together.

2. Get a small (#40 or a higher number) disher (a thumb- or squeeze-lever ice cream scoop) for putting filling on the pasta. It will save you tons of time and all your ravioli will come out the same fatness. An added bonus is that you can calculate in advance how many ravioli you will get out of a given amount of filling: a #40 disher gives you 40 scoops per quart.

3. You can lessen the amount of air that gets trapped inside the ravioli if you lay the second sheet of pasta down over the filling and gently push down from the middle outward as you seal.

4. Egg wash didn't seem to be necessary to make a good seal; I keep a spray bottle of water in the kitchen and gave the bottom sheet a light spritzing before putting the top sheet down over the filling.

After years of being disapointed with underperforming kitchen gizmos, I was delighted with the Villaware Ravioli Maker. To use it, place a sheet of pasta dough over the form, press the mold down on the form to make indentations, remove the form, fill the indentations, place another sheet over the filled one and run a rolling pin across the form to seal and cut the ravioli. If, like me, you use one of the standard machine rollers (e.g., the Atlas hand-cranked machine or the Kitchen Aid stand mixer attachment) to make your pasta sheets, you might find it a little tricky getting a sheet wide enough to cover the ravioli form, but once you have a wide enough sheet, making ravioli is a snap. I find it easier and less wasteful than doing it the old-fashioned way. And you still get homemade ravioli. Bellissimo!

I have used this a few times, and found I needed to lightly brush the metal mold with oil before laying down the first sheet of pasta, or else the dough stuck and was difficult to remove. Also, I think brushing the edges around the filling with egg or water will help give a better seal. I make 40 raviolis at a time and they have all kept their contents from spilling out into the boiling water. It takes me about 2 hours to get the job done from making the pasta to cooking the raviolis (I use the KA pasta attachment which is wonderful). It's actually a bit of work, but the taste is otherworldly and definately worth it when you can spare the time.

Being that I am a person who enjoys cooking but i only have partial use of my left hand, making ravioli or any pasta by hand is such an ordeal, this" simple simon" gadget requires minimal use of my hands and you'd think that I did this all day lafter I had spent minimal time. Noone would be the wiser. I'd seriously enjoy this is my new kitchen , it would be a nice welcome to my world of cooking.
Susan :)

I don't know when or where or how I got this but I discovered it in my cupboard one day and easily figured out what it was for. I made some homemade ravioli with it and it was out of this world! I'd never buy store bought ravioli again. With the pasta machine and a food processor, it goes quite quickly. The only complaint I have is that it slides on my counter which can be fixed by placing it on a clean rubber mat like is used on shelves.