Please help- making ravioli ahead?

[foodfiend]

Six days and counting... I'm getting nervous!

I am having a dinner party to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary this coming Saturday. I would like to make as much ahead as possible and have planned a menu which is allowing me to do that with several of the courses. However, I am uncertain how to make ahead the pasta course, or if I even can do this.

I am having four different stuffed pastas:

Lobster Ravioli in Pink Sauce
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Gorgonzola-Walnut Ravioli with Butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano
Artichoke Tortellini with Tomato Cream Sauce

The sauces will be relatively easy to prepare (the Pink Sauce is basically fresh tomatoes and basil with cream which I plan to make the previous evening and gently rewarm; the tomato-cream sauce can be mostly prepared ahead to rewarming and adding the cream; and the butter sauces are simple enough to make just before serving).

What I am wondering is, can I cook the pastas ahead of time, brush with butter (to prevent sticking), then refrigerate in oven-proof dishes? I could then rewarm the pasta, add the sauces, and serve. OR would it be possible to take this a step further and make the sauces (any? all?) the night before and refrigerate the pastas with the prepared sauces then just pop the dishes into the oven to rewarm the next evening?

And, on a related note, I wonder if the Parmigiano-Reggiano is an appropriate cheese to serve with the gorgonzola? Would anyone suggest a better pairing?

I would appreciate any advice about this (but please don't say to cut down the pasta choices-- it's what my husband asked for!)

I think that, for our 50th, we're going to go out to a restaurant!

THANK YOU!

[Old Bay]

I think the sauce pairings are wonderful!! All around. If you have time I would make the ravioli, with stuffing, and freeze or just refrigerate it and cook just before serving--all sauces could be made ahead of time and poured over the pasta when finished. Otherwise, it might be well to cook the pasta and add sauces, refrigerate as a finished dish, then heat in oven or microwave ?? Jane & I are not chefs so these are just thoughts!!

[DFen911]

I make ravioli ahead of time and freeze it. Then when I need it I plop it in boiling water. When they float they are pretty much done. You can test one before you do all of them to ensure doneness.

As for the sauces you could make up all of them 3 days before and put them in containers in the fridge and then just heat them up and pour them over the pasta. I wouldn't store the pasta in the sauce as your pasta make get too soft.

[foodfiend]

I'm so sorry-- I forgot to mention that the pastas are already made and frozen. I just want to avoid working with pots o' boiling water after a few glasses of... whatever... I guess I'll just drink the n/a punch until I finish cooking...

I am worrying about the browned butter sauce, though, since there's a short period between browned and burned! Is it possible to brown the butter the previous day and then just toss the hot cooked ravioli with it before serving?

OldBay, I appreciate the advice (and your positive assessment of the sauce-and-pasta pairings!)

And thanks Denise for another perspective-- I was worried about the pasta absorbing the sauces and the dish being dry, I didn't think about the pasta getting mushy as well.

I made the cake this afternoon (CAH December 2006) and it smelled heavenly! I don't want to freeze it-- I want to eat it!

[Old Bay]

I don't know why you couldn't perfect the brown butter ahead of time, let it congeal (sp?) and just slowly melt it before serving. I do think you need to boil the pasta just before serving. Good luck!!!--The pairings sound lovely --serve a nice brunello or chianti. Happy anniversery!!!!--send the guests home early.

[HomeCulinarian]

Congratulations on your anniversary, Vicci! I hope your party is a great success and you have many more happy years of wedded bliss...

[cjs]

Vicci - I agree with Denise about keeping the pasta and sauces separate. A couple of things I'll throw out -

- In the morning, fill a huge pot with water and salt it - a couple hours ahead heat it to boiling, then turn it off. Shortly before cooking the pasta, bring it back up to a boil and after cooking the pasta, just leave the pot on the back of the stove till the next day. The purpose of this is to allow you to have your wine and/or whatever and not have to manhandle that pot!! (Important things first )

- "I wonder if the Parmigiano-Reggiano is an appropriate cheese to serve with the gorgonzola?" Are you thinking a light sprinkling of the P-R over the gorgonzola ravioli or a P-R/butter sauce? If the ravioli is to be tossed with butter and sprinkled with the P-R, I think it will go well. If it's a P-R sauce, it might be too much.

- "Is it possible to brown the butter the previous day and then just toss the hot cooked ravioli with it before serving?" Yes, that will work fine I don't think I'd heat the browned butter, but if you cut into smallish chunks and leave in a heatproof little bowl near or above the stove/burner ahead of time, it will be soft enough just to toss with the ravioli without cooling it too much.

I think that's all I wanted to add - hope all goes just wonderfully well for your anniversary and why would it not - with you at the helm!!

[foodfiend]

Well, the decision has been made-- I shall boil the ravioli just before serving. Thanks so much for all of your help, everyone!

Old Bay, for the life of me I cannot remember what wines we will be serving with dinner! With apps we will have a n/a citrus punch, CAH's "Ruby Sippers" (cranberry syrup with chilled Prosecco) and a rum drink with lemon/lime/mandarin juices. Dinner is wine. With dessert is champagne. Oy. And nice thought about sending everyone home early, but most of the guests are staying the night (one couple attending lives 3 minutes away, everyone else is over an hour drive).

HC (why, oh why, can't I recall your name??? My brain is a sieve!!!), thanks for the nice wishes. I can't believe that it has been twenty-five years!

And Jean, I never would have thought to fill the pots with water beforehand (now, why should I bring them to a boil hours before? Will the water boil faster, then?), and empty them the following day. I must have my cooks-drink(s)!

I decided against the ParmReg with the gorgonzola-filled ravioli (strong flavors abound!). I'm just going to use butter, a splash of cream, and a sprinkling of... parsley? fresh basil?

And I will brown the butter earlier in the day, refrigerate in a glass bowl, then set it beside the stove to soften before adding to the pasta.

AND...
why would it not - with you at the helm!

Oh my, I wish I had as much confidence!

THANK YOU!!!

[cjs]

Boiling the water a couple hours ahead is just to give it a jump start for when you do need it.

[Lorraine]

Good luck, vicci, it sounds great!