National Ravioli Day

Cheese three only. Wild mushrooms. Pumpkin. Ravioli can handle anything. It is also one of America's favorite dishes. We’re proud to have Three Bridges in our annual National Ravioli Day celebration on March 20^th. As you'll see, this particular noodle dish dates back to the 14th century. No there is no surprise there. Ravioli can be enjoyed with any meal of the day including dessert! The best part? You can prepare ready-made ravioli in about 10 minutes. Keep reading for an interesting look at the origins of ravioli - and a fascinating preview of how you can enjoy all sorts.

History of National Ravioli Day

This delicious stuffed noodle dish can be traced back to its first mention in the 1300s by a merchant from Venice, Francesco di Marco. In the 16th century, the ravioli made their way to Rome, where it is believed to have been created by Bartolomeo Scappi, who served them to a group of cardinals from the Catholic Church.

It was also around this time that ravioli began to be combined with ketchup. It then continued its journey through other mentions and in cookbooks when the dish was first made for the upper classes. Eventually, it dropped to more modest means and became a national favorite.

While ravioli may contain meat, on some religious holidays it is not customary to eat meat, so many ravioli recipes are made with vegetarian ingredients such as cheese, mushrooms, pumpkin, or even cookies almond (amaretto).

Most people eat ravioli right after being boiled, like most other pastas. However, in some regions of Italy, the ravioli is boiled at irst and then baked in a creamy sauce for a better flavor.

A Brief History of Grilled Ravioli

Grilled ravioli is a more modern and seemingly accidental invention. It is told that in the 1940s, in St. Louis, Missouri, there was the appearance of some ravioli. Instead of wasting deep-fried pasta pillows, they're sprinkled with parmesan and served at the bar. People love them even though they're technically not baked at all. The name “grilled ravioli” sounds a bit more appealing than “deep-fried ravioli”.

Although ravioli has appeared around several hundred years, it never gets old. Now, this beloved noodle dish has taken a full day to celebrate it!

Why Ravioli Day?

Ravioli is originated from the Italian "riavvolgere" word which means "to wrap". And that's what Ravioli is all about! It's a pasta dish that can be stuffed with a sweet or savory filling!

The filling is placed between two thin sheets of pasta and boiled for a few minutes to cook!

Ravioli seems to be a modern dish, but it was first mentioned in the 14th century in a personal letter from a Prato merchant, Francesco di Marco Datini. And then it was mentioned again in a cookbook called “rauioles” by the chef of King Richard II!

We could then witness Ravioli being served to the Pope's secret palace in Rome in 1549. It was served with a filling of boiled pork, herbs, spices, raisins, sugar and cheese. Parmesan!

Crispy grilled ravioli can be traced back to St. Louis, Missouri in the recent 1940s! It led to an accidental invention at Oldani's when a ravioli bread fell into the fryer! That's what we might call a delicious accident!

Even after 700 years, Ravioli continues to be an all-time favorite! Most Americans love Ravioli for the variety in taste! It is suitable for young and old!

Most ravioli recipes include baking or frying them. You can enjoy a bowl of Ravioli combined with tomato or cheese dip. Else enjoy them in soup! You can also find larger single pack ravioli paired with any sauce of your choice!

You can cook them at home from scratch or visit your local stores for different stuffed and frozen versions of ravioli that are ready to cook!

And also the canned version of Ravioli made popular by Chef Boyardee USA! This version is filled with cheese or processed beef and is served with ketchup, or meat ketchup, or a more cheese ketchup!

If you prefer something sweeter, try fruity or chocolate filling recipes like Butternut Ravioli Beignets or Ravioli Dolci!

So you can play with ravioli to match your breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizer, snack or dessert options!

It's surprising but not surprising that nearly 87% of Americans love this Italian dish! Are you one of them?! Come discover with us as we take you through the sweet and savory paths of this pasta recipe!

The best part is that you can enjoy it as a simple dish or a fancy dish! Need more reasons to celebrate Ravioli Day?

How to celebrate National Ravioli Day

• Team up for an adventure full of Ravioli!

Team up with your best friends or foodies to go on a ravioli filled adventure today! Have fun discovering the best ravioli in town! To minimize your pocket, check out ravioli deals and discounts today!

• Celebrate with ready-made ravioli!

Love ravioli but don't have time to cook them up? Ready-made ravioli can come in handy! Choose ravioli with your favorite filling and boil them in salted boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with your favorite sauce, soup or cheese dip and you're good to go!

• Prepare a batch of freshly made Ravioli at home!

Making ravioli from scratch can take a lot of energy and time. Make it a family event and encourage everyone to join hands! Of course, you'll soon have a fun-filled Ravioli Day with our fresh batch of homemade Ravioli!

• Put your Ravioli to the test!

Experiment with your favorite stuffing and sauce combinations! You can choose from a variety of pre-cooked frozen ravioli, or go grocery shopping to try different combinations today! For the fillings, you can try the following combinations or stir up your own!

• Goat cheese, lemon zest and some roasted radish
• Goat cheese, spinach, and some toasted pine nuts
• Grilled red pepper parmesan cheese
• Pumpkin and sage
• Fried chicken with olive oil
• Arugula, pistachios and some goat cheese!
• Sauteed Mushrooms with Truffle Oil
• Copy Chef's Best Ravioli?

Search the internet or old cookbooks for the best ravioli recipe and try replicating it today! Don't forget to share your experience with everyone!

• Expand your knowledge base of ravioli!

If you love details, history and are curious how an Italian dish did become so popular in America? Celebrate this day by learning more about ravioli and sharing your findings with us today!

• Hone your pasta making skills!

Take your love for ravioli to the next level by learning how to prepare ravioli in the best ways! You can sign up for a pasta-making workshop or learn online! This will benefit your overall pasta making skills!

• Throw a Ravioli party!

Celebrate Ravioli Day with friends and family around! Encourage everyone to bring their favorite versions of ravioli to enjoy! Plan games around Ravioli or dance to some Italian music for a fun, memorable evening!

• Sign up for a Ravioli contest!

Does your Ravioli capture everyone's eyes and taste buds? Sign up for a Ravioli contest and find out if your ravioli recipe could be the best in the world!

• Roll up some fun online Ravioli games!

Use #NationalRavioliDay and #RavioliDay to share your love of Ravioli on social media with your favorite ravioli recipes, photos, blogs and videos!