Stuffed Pasta - Cooking Tips

Stuffed pasta consists of fresh pasta sheets that are stuffed with a filling. After the filling has been added, the pasta sheets are folded over and sealed, or another sheet is placed on top and the edges are sealed. Some sheets are folded over the filling and then twisted to form special shapes. Stuffed pastas are formed from sheets of different shapes, such as squares, rectangles, and triangles. They are stuffed with a variety of fillings, which consist of a mixture of ingredients, such as meats, cheeses, herbs, mushrooms, and vegetables. Stuffed pastas are first cooked and then generally served with a light sauce. They can also be served in a broth, added to a baked dish, or added to a salad after they have been cooked. Stuffed pasta is generally fresh but can also be found frozen and some types can be found dried. The cooking times below are for fresh stuffed pasta. If the stuffed pasta is frozen or dried, it will take approximately 2 to 4 additional minutes to cook. Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness and size of the pasta sheet. When cooking fresh pasta, it should be watched carefully and checked for doneness once the pasta floats to the top. Check often to prevent pasta from becoming mushy.

Stuffed Pasta
Pasta	Description	Estimated Cooking Time
Agnolotti	A rippled edge circle or square of pasta where stuffing is added and the pasta is then folded over and sealed on the open edge to form a half circle or rectangle shape.	Cook for 4 to 7 minutes.
Cappelletti (alpine hats)	Two inch squares of pasta that are folded in half to form a triangle after the filling is added and then twisted to form the shape of a little hat.	Cook for 3 to 7 minutes.
Cappelloni	A larger version of cappelletti.	Cook for 13 to 15 minutes.
Manti	A Turkish pasta that is made by adding a small ball of ground meat filling to a small pasta square and then drawing up all four corners together to form a ball shaped stuffed pasta.	Cook for 5 to 15 minutes. Time will vary depending on thickness and size of the pasta.
Mezzaluna	Half moon shaped egg pasta that is small in size and stuffed with any of a variety of ingredients. Initially made as a round circle that is folded over and sealed around the edges, Mezzaluna pasta may have fillings such as meat, cheese, fish, herbs, spinach greens, squash, or other similar foods and topped with a cream sauce.	Cook for 14 to 16 minutes.
Pansotti	A stuffed pasta made by placing filling on a 2 inch square of pasta and then folding the square of pasta in half from one corner to the opposite corner, forming a triangle shape. The edges of the pasta may be straight or pinked.	Cook for 4 to 9 minutes.
Ravioli	A square, double layer of pasta that is stuffed with a filling between the layers to form a shape that resembles a pillow.	Cook for 4 to 9 minutes.
Ravioloni	A larger version of ravioli.	Cook for 5 to 9 minutes.
Ravioletti	A smaller version of ravioli.	Cook for 4 to 8 minutes.
Tortelli (anolini)	A stuffed pasta made by placing filling on a 2 inch circle of pasta and then folding the pasta in half to form a half circle. The stuffed pasta is then wrapped around a finger and the corners are pinched together. This forms a hat shaped pasta. The size and shape of tortelli will vary in different regions. They are also found made without being wrapped into a hat shape. When not wrapped into a hat shape, they are shaped as a circle, half circle, square, rectangle, or triangle.	Cook for 4 to 9 minutes.
Tortellini	Circles of pasta that are folded in half to form a half circle after the filling is added and then twisted to form the shape of a little hat.	Cook for 4 to 9 minutes.
Tortelloni	A larger version of Tortellini.	Cook for 9 to 11 minutes.