Keeping fresh ravioli

[jackal10]

When I buy fresh organic ravioli in the supermarket, it keeps for a week, even if |Iopen the packet.

When I make it keeps for a day or so before going grey and unappetising.

How do they do it?

[Mallet]

Is it possible that there's no egg in their dough?

[Tsulli1]

Is it possible that there's no egg in their dough?

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I believe that commercially made fresh pasta is made with dried / powdered eggs rather than fresh eggs. Probably also some other preservatives.

[Silly Disciple]

They are probably pasteurized.

Even so, I am surprised that the fresh ones you make last for a day or two. We make our pasta in a way that resembles home made pasta more than industrial, and they last on average for about 4-5 days. Could you describe how you make them?

One option you could consider is producing a larger batch and freezing some of it.

[jackal10]

This is for a food shop I am helping

They make pasta sheets wound onto rollers using a pasta machine extruded via brass die.

The formula is the usual: 100g flour/ egg, with the flour 25% yellow cornmeal.

Two of the rolled up sheets (one upper, one lower) are mounted on a machine that injects a portion of filling and then cuts and presses the ravioli.

How do you pastaurise ravioli?

Would sous vide, say 2hours at 55C work?

Hot enough to kill the bugs according to the FCC reccomendations, but not hot enough to cook the pasta.

Edited March 29, 2008 by jackal10 (log)

[Mallet]

Assuming the eggs are the primarily source of spoilage, you might try pasteurizing just the eggs (as suggested in the SV thread). Another option would be to buy already-pasteurized eggs (something like this ) or reconstitute powdered whole eggs.

[jackal10]

I think it must be more than just the egg.

I've just bought supermarket "fresh organic" totellini.

It has a "use by" date of 3 weeks (21 April).

"pasta contains Durum Wheat Semolina, Pastaurised egg. Packed in a proteective atmosphere"

Even in an oxygen reduced atmosphere I can't get damp flour to stay good that long. There must be some heap big juju there.

My guess is a fairly dry filling - according to the contents it contains "breadsticks (about 15%), dried potato (about 2%).

and then pasturise the pack.

[DTBarton]

Homemade ravioli usually doesn't last long enough around my house to have this problem.

However, it does freeze very nicely. I will say that I've never had it frozen for very long

(see above).

[rooftop1000]

They may be drying the commercial product a bit before packaging...remember moisture is your enemy

If you wrap food up tightly is will spoil (runny moldy etc)...if left unwrapped it will dry up and become unappetizing but less likely to "rot"

assuming "home wrapping" of course

So back to the Ravioli...perhaps a good dusting with the cornmeal and an hour or so out to toughen up a little

tracey

[Silly Disciple]

Jack,

pasteurization of fresh stuffed pasta is done by means of a steam tunnel, like this one.

The pasta then goes into a blast chiller to bring it back to 0-5C temp range (or -20C if it's to be sold frozen).

Furthermore, protective atmosphere means not only reduced oxygen level, but it usually means vacuum packing using inert gases, which further extend the pasta's shelf life.

Not sure how the SV approach would work. I would think you would have to be very careful with the packing in order to prevent the individual pieces sticking to each other, you would loose the shapes, etc.

[KarenDW]

Has the food shop had fresh ravioli in the past? How long did it keep?

What about the pasta sheets themselves; if you keep them for a few days, wrapped the same way as the ravioli, how do the sheets look?

[jackal10]

Has the food shop had fresh ravioli in the past? How long did it keep?

What about the pasta sheets themselves; if you keep them for a few days, wrapped the same way as the ravioli, how do the sheets look?

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I've just started consulting to the shop.

The fresh ravioli and pasta keep a couple of days, even with vacuum packing.

Supermarket "fresh" pasta, in modified atmosphere keeps 21 days.

I'm sure its not just the modified atmosphere.

My guess is pastaurisation, but I cant find the reccomended time/temperature that still leaves the product uncooked.

[Silly Disciple]

Has the food shop had fresh ravioli in the past? How long did it keep?

What about the pasta sheets themselves; if you keep them for a few days, wrapped the same way as the ravioli, how do the sheets look?

←

I've just started consulting to the shop.

The fresh ravioli and pasta keep a couple of days, even with vacuum packing.

Supermarket "fresh" pasta, in modified atmosphere keeps 21 days.

I'm sure its not just the modified atmosphere.

My guess is pastaurisation, but I cant find the reccomended time/temperature that still leaves the product uncooked.

←

Jack, I would give the LB Italia people a call and just ask them what time and temperature they use for their pasteurizer.

[Silly Disciple]

These manufacturers mention 70C on a humid environment, but don't mention times...