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Toasted ravioli, colloquially known as T-Ravs,[1] is breaded deep-fried ravioli, usually served as an appetizer but can also be used to consume dipping sauce.[2] It was created and popularized in St. Louis, Missouri at two restaurants, Mama Campisi's and Charlie Gitto's. Both are located in an Italian-American neighborhood, "The Hill".

Toasted ravioli

Alternative names	T-ravs
Type	Fried dish, pasta
Place of origin	United States
Region or state	St Louis, Missouri
Created by	disputed
Main ingredients	Flour, eggs, water, cheese, ground meat (sometimes), tomato sauce

Origin

Most accounts of toasted ravioli trace its origins to a predominantly Italian-American neighborhood of St. Louis, The Hill. Supposedly, in the early 1940s, a ravioli was accidentally dropped into the fryer at Mama Campisi's by a drunk chef. "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."[3] Shortly thereafter, the item began appearing on menus across The Hill.

Many other restaurants in The Hill claim its creation,[4] among them, Charlie Gitto's "On The Hill" restaurant (then known as "Angelo's"). That story claims that a German chef at Angelo's, accidentally dropped the pasta into oil after a misunderstanding.[5] Another claim is from Louis Oldani.[6] Oldani is said to have named the dish 'toasted' ravioli because he thought 'toasted' was more appealing than 'fried'.[7]

Lombardo's Restaurants, located around the St. Louis area, also claim to have been among the first to bring toasted ravioli to the States from Sicily; their current owner, Tony Lombardo, shows menus from the 1930s that include it.[8] Lombardo's toasted raviolis frequently top lists as the "best t-ravs in St. Louis".[9]

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 browned. Toasted ravioli is generally served with marinara sauce for dipping[10] 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 special skill or training.

See also

• St. Louis cuisine
• Cuisine of the Midwest
• Cuisine of the United States
• Fried wonton, a deep fried and crispy Chinese dumpling
• Pot sticker, a pan fried Chinese dumpling
• List of deep fried foods
• List of pasta dishes

References

External links

• Jerry Forte's Recipe for Toasted Ravioli as collected by FoodNetwork
• History of The Hill, famous for Toasted Ravioli
• Examining the mysterious past of St. Louis' toasted ravioli

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