Toasted ravioli

Toasted ravioli, or breaded deep-fried ravioli, is an appetizer created and popularized in St. Louis, Missouri. Toasted ravioli beginnings can be sourced to two restaurants in St. Louis. Mama Campisi's and Charlie Gitto's. Both restaurants are located in an Italian section of St. Louis called "The Hill".

Toasted ravioli
TypeFried dish
Main ingredientsFlour, eggs, water

Origin

Most accounts of the first toasted ravioli can be traced to the predominantly Italian neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri, known as "The Hill". Many claims have been made as to the original creation of toasted ravioli in the United States. As the story goes, the delicacy was stumbled upon when a ravioli from restaurant Mama Campisi’s was accidentally dropped into the fryer by Chef Fritz. "Mickey Garagiola, older brother of Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer Joe Garagiola, was actually at the bar during the mishap and was the first to taste the accidental treat."[1] Shortly thereafter, the item began appearing on menus across The Hill. Many restaurants in The Hill stake their claims to the creation:[2] one such claim revolves around Charlie Gitto's "On The Hill" restaurant (then known as "Angelo's"). According to that tale, in 1947, Mario Battocletti, a chef at Angelo's, accidentally dropped the pasta into oil instead of water. Another claim to the origins of toasted ravioli goes to Louis Oldani.[3] Oldani is said to have named the dish 'toasted' ravioli because he thought toasted ravioli sounded more appealing than 'fried' ravioli. The legend of the origins of the toasted ravioli remains a mystery mainly due to the fact that the original claim holders have all died. [4]

Composition, varieties and service

Generally, some type of meat is wrapped in square ravioli, breaded and deep fried until the pasta shell becomes slightly crispy, dry and golden brown, hence the name. Toasted ravioli is traditionally served with marinara sauce for dipping[5] and parmesan cheese may also be sprinkled on top. Toasted ravioli can be stored pre-made and frozen which allows it to be easily prepared by fry cooks or bar staff without requiring much special skill or training.

See also

References
  1. "History | Mama's on The Hill". www.mamasonthehill.com. Retrieved Aug 16, 2019.
  3. "Examining the mysterious past of St. Louis' toasted ravioli". 10Best. Feb 25, 2018. Retrieved Aug 16, 2019.
  4. Delano, Patti (2006). Missouri. Globe Pequot. p. 12. ISBN 0-7627-4203-8.
  5. Wiederhold, Arthur (2002). Art & Rosies Home-Tested Recipes. Chronicle Books. p. 67. ISBN 0-595-22016-9.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.