When making stuffed pasta, you may choose to add a small amount of oil to the dough to help it stick together better when sealed around a filling. Roll the pasta out to the thinnest setting on a pasta machine.
While rolling and filling one portion of the dough, keep the rest covered with plastic wrap to make sure it stays moist and pliable. Cut and fill the sheets as soon as possible after they are rolled. As they dry, they become more difficult to seal properly.
Forming Ravioli
Lightly flour a clean dry work surface and lay down a thinly rolled pasta sheet. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out as many rounds as possible, or a sharp knife to cut squares.
Using a teaspoon or pastry bag, place or pipe a small amount of the filling in the center of each circle or square. The amount of filling will vary depending on the size of the pasta round or square. Lightly moisten the edges of the pasta round or square with a pastry brush dipped in cool water or egg wash. Top each with another pasta round or square and press firmly with your fingertips to seal. Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges together. Refrigerate the finished ravioli while you roll out, cut, and fill the remaining pasta dough.
Or you can fill the pasta by scooping or piping the filling onto the pasta sheet then topping it with a second sheet, and then cutting out the shape. Brush the sheet with egg wash or water before topping it with filling. Press the sheets together around the filling to seal the top sheet to the bottom sheet and press out any air pockets that might surround the filling. Use a ravioli cutter, knife, or a pastry wheel to cut the ravioli into squares or rounds.
Forming Tortellini
Lightly flour a clean dry work surface and lay down a thinly rolled pasta sheet. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out as many rounds as possible, or a sharp knife to cut squares. Using a teaspoon or a pastry bag, place or pipe a small amount of the filling in the center of each circle or square. The amount of filling will vary depending on the size of the pasta round or square. Lightly moisten the edges of the pasta round or square with a pastry brush dipped in cool water or egg wash, fold in half to make a half-moon or triangle, and press firmly to seal with your fingertips. To shape the tortellini, wrap the half-moon or triangle around the tip of your forefinger, pull the 2 corners together to overlap, and pinch them firmly to seal. Watch this video to see more: Shaping Tortellini
