Unwrap the pasta dough and knead it a few times. The surface of the dough at this point should feel silky smooth, like a baby’s bottom. Cut the ball into 4 equal parts. You will only work with 1/4 of the dough at a time. Wrap the remaining 3/4’s back into the plastic wrap to prevent the surfaces from drying out.
Flatten the unwrapped portion of dough as best you can with your hands, try to guide it into a rough rectangular shape. Then run it through the rollers of the machine set at the widest setting. You should run the dough through at least TWICE on each thickness setting, which is the dial on the the side of the machine opposite the roller crank.
Lead the dough through the rollers and then use one hand to crank , as the other hand guides the pasta through the other side. You will notice that the dough becomes longer and thinner. Stop rolling the dough on the 2nd to last setting on your pasta machine. This is just thin enough to see through when held up to a light, but thick enough to hold the cheese filling securely.
Cut your long sheet of pasta in half. You should have 2 pieces long enough to make your first dozen ravioli now!
Place one sheet of pasta over the metal base of the ravioli press. Make sure you have about 1 inch of extra dough hanging over the metal ridges on all sides. Use the plastic attachment to form depressions in each square. Gently press the depression form attachment into the ravioli dough. This will leave a little indentation to he middle of each ravioli square, making a pocket for the cheese filling. Lift the depression attachment and set aside.
Place about a tablespoon of filling into each pocket. You want enough filling in each ravioli to have a nice shape, but not so much that you will have trouble sealing the edges of the pasta. You may need to outline the edges of each ravioli with a wet finger tip to ensure that the other layer tightly adheres. This really depends on your dough. I did not have to do this step. If you find that your dough seems a little dry, try the water dabbing. Not too much!! Just a touch .
Place another sheet of pasta over the ravioli filling. This will actually form the bottom of the ravioli. Gently press it down onto the first layer with the filling in the middle. You want to be mindful of not trapping air inside your filling pockets. Now use a floured rolling pin to apply pressure to the metal ridges. Your pressure should begin to cut the ravioli into 12 individual pieces. Peel off excess dough from around the ravioli.
Turn the ravioli maker over and give the mold a shake. The ravioli should easily fall out of the mold. If they don’t, tap the edge of the mold against your countertop.
Place the ravioli in a single layer on sheet pan that has been sprinkled with cornmeal or flour or parchment-lined.
Using the fluted edge of pie crust roller or small knife, run over any sections of dough that have not been cut completely from rolling pin and ravioli press.
Freeze ravioli until ready to use. Place the sheet pan of single layered ravioli into the freezer for about 30 min. Once the ravioli have frozen, you can remove them and store in ziplock bags in freezer. To cook cook the ravioli, place them in boiling, salted water for 3 to 4 minutes. Fresh pasta cooks very fast; once they rise to the surface of the water they are done. Use a ravioli skimmer to transfer them of a serving platter.
When you are ready, I recommend boiling the ravioli in batches. Fresh pasta is more fragile than dried, giving the ravioli a little room will prevent breakage. Simply place ravioli in rapidly boiling, salted water for 3 to 4 minutes; Fresh pasta cooks very fast and it will rise to the surface to signal that it is ready. Use large slotted spoon to remove the ravioli and transfer directly over to sauce of choice. Serve and enjoy!!!