Home Italy Revisited Bookshelf Plays About Mary Melfi Contact Us
in
X Italian Pasta Dishes
Ravioli or Tortellini (Fresh dough for Ravioli, and Ravioli fillings)
Originated from: Italy
Occasion: Any time & special times
Contributed by: Taken from "The Pleasures of Italian Cooking" by Romeo Salta (1962)

Printer Friendly Version

Ingredients

Dough:
4 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
4 tablespoons cold water

Ravioli and Tortellini Fillings
Meat:
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups ground cooked beef or veal
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Spinach-Meat:
3/4 cup cooked chopped spinach, drained thoroughly
3/4 cup ground cooked meat
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

Spinach-Cheese:
1 cup cooked chopped spinach, drained thoroughly
1/2 cup ricotta or cottage cheese, drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

Bologna:
1/2 cup sausage meat
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup ground cooked pork
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
1/8 teaspon nutmeg




Directions

Ravioli are square, and tortellini are small snail-shaped

dough pockets. The fillings are dough are interchangeable.



Dough:

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the center and into it put the eggs and water. With the fingers, blend all together until a ball of dough is formed. If too dry, add a little more water. If too wet, add a little more flour.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until very smooth and elastic. Flour the surface and hands occasionally. cover with a bowl and let rest 20 minutes.



Ravioli:

Divide dough in half and roll out and stretch 1/8-inch thick and cut into long strips 2-inches wide. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling at 2-inch intervals. Cover with another strip of dough. Using the index finger, press down around the filling. Use a pastry wheel or sharp knife and cut into 2-inch squares. Seal the edges carefully. Let stand 2 hours before cooking. If you prefer, cut dough into 2-inch squares, place filling in the center and cover with another square.



Tortellini:

Divide dough in half, roll out and stretch 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 1 1/2-inch circles. Place a half teaspoon of filling int he center. Fold each circle in half, to form a half circle, but the top part should come just short of the bottom. Press edges firmly together, then bring the ends together, so that it forms a ring. Let dry 3 hours before cooking.



To cook ravioli or tortellini, drop them into deep boiling, salted water. Cook 7 minutes, or until they rise to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Serve with melted butter and grated cheese or with a sauce. Tortellini may also be served in soup.



Ravioli and Tortellini Fillings



Meat:

Melt the butter in a skillet; saute the meat 5 minutes. Cool and mix in the cheese, bread crumbs and nutmeg. Taste for seasoning.



Spinach-Meat:

Mix all the ingredients together and taste for seasoning.



Spinach-Cheese:

Mix all the ingredients together and taste for seasoning.



Bologna:

Brown the sausage meat. Pour off the fat. Add the butter and pork; cook 5 minutes.

Cool and mix in the cheese, egg yolk, bread crumbs and nutmeg.Taste for seasoning.




Notes

The recipe in this entry was taken from "The Pleasures of Italian Cooking" by Romeo Salta, with an Introduction by Myra Waldo, photographs by Roberto Caramico, assisted by John Ciofalo. The book was published in New York by The MacMillan Company in 1962. For the complete copyright-free cook book visit www.archive.org... Image -- Detail, Giuseppe de Nittis, Lunch in the Garden, 19th century.

Back to main list