Ingredients:
— 5 liters simmering water
— 60 grams salt
— 1 tablespoon oil
— 600 grams pasta – Cannelloni or Ravioli
Method:
(1) Add the oil and salt to the water and heat until simmering. Place the pasta items onto the surface where they will float because of the film of oil.
(2) Whilst cooking move the items around very gently as there is the possibility that the stuffing may be forced out of the ravioli, or the canneloni pasta pieces may break.
(3) When cooked, refresh under controlled running water until perfectly cold or use immediately according to the recipe (see Notes).
Notes:
(1) Using a shallow sided saucepan helps prevent the pastas from breaking when handled.
(2) The addition of oil to the water when cooking helps to prevent the pasta from sticking together during cooking.
Possible problem, cause and solution:
(1) The ravioli have broken and the filling has come out:
— water was boiling rather than gently simmering; care must be taken not to boil the water as this will cause the ravioli to break up which cannot be rectified.
— rough handling when poaching; take care not to mishandle the ravioli as they are poaching as if they break up the situation cannot be rectified.
— mishandled when being refreshed; care must be taken at this stage as if the ravioli break up the situation cannot be rectified.
— held for too long in cold water; this softens the pasta causing the ravioli to fall apart and
cannot be rectified.
(2) The cannelloni have broken and are difficult to handle:
— water was boiling rather than simmering gently; care must be taken not to boil the water as this will cause the canneloni to break up.
— pasta has stuck together during cooking and tears when separated as it has not cooked through where joined; care must be taken to prevent the cannelloni sticking together during cooking as once torn the problem cannot be rectified.
— held too long in cold water; this softens the pasta and care must be taken to avoid the prolonged retention as the problem cannot be rectified.
— pasta has been handled roughly during cooking or when refreshed; care must be taken when handling cannelloni as any damage cannot be rectified.