Fasten your aprons, Italian food lovers! Let's celebrate your favorite filled pasta. Do not forget to use the tag #NationalRavioliDay on social media on March 20th.
From Venice to the world
Here is another delectable pasta deserving to be celebrated. Ravioli – a national favorite - belong to the delicious stuffed pasta family which also includes sophisticated tortellini, rare cappelletti, and squared agnolotti. While tortellini, cappelletti, and agnolotti are traditionally in a broth, ravioli most often come with a sauce. Any sauce you use, of course, must also be Italian, in harmony with this stuffed delicacy’s roots! Ravioli (made of a filling sealed between two layers of egg pasta dough) were first mentioned in 14th century Venice in the records of Francesco di Marco, a local merchant. In the 16th century, ravioli arrived in Rome, and where they were first served with a tomato sauce. At the time, they were a dish reserved for the meals of nobles.
Vegetarian or with meat?
Traditionally, ravioli contain meat, but many newer recipes include with cheese, mushrooms, or spinach. A delicious version contains pumpkin, almond, and amaretto cookies. You can eat ravioli just like regular pasta: boiled, cooked, and covered in sauce. You can also bake your ravioli. You can find canned ravioli in the US, but Italian cuisine purists will raise an eyebrow!
How to Celebrate?
There are three ways to celebrate this delicious pasta dish: at your favorite Italian restaurant; at home cooking a nice bag of fresh ravioli dressed with your preferred tomato sauce, since many restaurants and Italian markets sell ready-to-cook fresh ravioli; or in your kitchen, making them from scratch!
Ravioli at home
It is a special day for ravioli lovers. Why not try making them at home? Ideally you should use a pasta maker, but if you don't have one, do not despair! You can simply roll out the dough on a large, clean counter using a rolling pin and some elbow grease! You will need all-purpose or "00" flour, eggs, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. It is a time-consuming operation, but it is worth every minute!
Be creative!
For the filling, you can let your imagination run wild or choose a traditional stuffing such as cheese or meat with cheese. If you want to try something bolder, go for butter and lobster, pear and gorgonzola, sausage and cheese, or the classic spinach and beef.
Guinness World Record
An interesting fact in modern history? The "Ravioli Guinness World Record" is 96 feet and 1-inch long ravioli made in St. Petersburg, Russia. The filling, though, was not so Italian: the record-breaking raviolo was stuffed with chicken and onions.
