Wonton skins for ravioli

[johnjohn]

I have some leftover braised lamb and was thinking of using it as a filling for ravioli. Not interested in making fresh pasta tonight - so I was thinking of using wonton skins. Anybody ever try this? Is it any good? How long do you cook them for in boiling salted water.

johnjohn

[tommy]

i've done it, and they are OK, but can't replace the real thing. many stores in the NYC area are selling "fresh" packaged pasta now, including sheets for lasagna. i'd suggest looking in the refrigerated section and seeing if your local place carries them before using wonton skins.

wonton skins cook *very* quickly in boiling water.

let us know what happens.

[ngatti]

I have some leftover braised lamb and was thinking of using it as a filling for ravioli.  Not interested in making fresh pasta tonight - so I was thinking of using wonton skins.  Anybody ever try this?  Is it any good?  How long do you cook them for in boiling salted water.

johnjohn

Works great. Very delicate and silky. Cook till they float. These things are delicate so you want to get the filling just hot. I seal the edges with a little egg white.

edit: Tommy's correct, it won't replace real pasta sheets, but I prefer the texture of the wonton skin and within certain cooking contexts actually find them superior.

Nick

[Wilfrid]

The lasagne truc, as I have been taught to say, is worth knowing about. I just boil the lasagne sheets until they're nearly done, cut them into squares and dab on the ravioli filling. I use the tines of a fork to seal the edges, as with empanadas. Then just finish them in some nice broth. Lift carefully.

Sorry if everyone in the universe knew that already.

[johnjohn]

I will look into the lasagana sheets. When I've bought them in the past I remember them being thick (sturdy) - I guess I could roll them to make them a little thinner for the ravioli.

Wilfrid - I would never of thought to cook the pasta first and than add the filling and finishing in the sauce/broth. Is there a reason why you do this? I will try it both ways and see what happens.

johnjohn

[tommy]

Wilfrid - I would never of thought to cook the pasta first and than add the filling and finishing in the sauce/broth.  Is there a reason why you do this?  I will try it both ways and see what happens.

probably because you can't cut them when they're raw? i think that's what wilfrid is saying anyway.

you're right johnjohn...those fresh lasagna sheets tend to be a bit too thick for ravioli. a good roll though as you suggest might help.

[Wilfrid]

Yes, they'll shatter if you try to cut them when they're dry. Also, if you're filling needs to be thoroughly cooked, cook it separately first. The final dip in the broth should just be to finish everything off and heat it all up.

[Bux]

I notice a difference of opinion on using wonton skins for pasta. I've used a few wonton skins for dumplings and noticed that they're not all the same anyway. My recollection is that wonton skins are often mostly flour and water dough whereas I might prefer egg and flour pasta for my ravioli. Is this why others prefer not to use wonton skins?

I had assumed Wilfrid's lasagna truc was for using dried lasagna sheets, but since you can buy sheets of fresh pasta in some markets, it may not have been obvious to all readers.

[johnjohn]

My mistake - I didn't realize Wilfrid was talking about dried lasagna - I was thinking about getting the fresh lasagna sheets.

johnjohn

[Wilfrid]

Sorry. Vague as ever.

[Suzanne F]

I've used wonton skins with decent results; the yellow square ones shape nicely into tortellini. Much thinner and more delicate than my pasta dough. Egg wash to seal. And if you make a lot and lay them out on a sheet pan, don't forget to dust the pan with starch (and don't tile the filled ravioli), or they'll stick to one another.

Thanks, johnjohn, for reminding me of this. And thanks, Wilfrid, for the truc.

[Bux]

I was thinking about getting the fresh lasagna sheets.

I assumed as much when you spoke about rolling them thinner.

[Jason Perlow]

You could use the wonton skins to make lamb kreplach. Or better yet, deep fried lamb wontons. Just put some scallions into the mix with a little soy sauce, suff em in the skins, fry.. mmm.