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Toasted ravioli from St. Louis

Toasted ravioli is an appetizer that is most abundantly available near St. Louis, Missouri, though it is now on the menu of every Olive Garden restaurant. Generally, some type of meat or cheese is wrapped in square ravioli then breaded and deep fried so it is crispy. It is usually served with marinara sauce, and sometimes with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Many claims have been made as to the original creation of toasted ravioli, but the most generally accepted theory is that fried ravioli was first prepared in 1943 by chef Terry Hill at Oldani's restaurant on The Hill, a predominantly Italian neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1947, also on The Hill, a chef at Charlie Gitto's restaurant (then called Angelo's) accidentally dropped some freshly made ravioli in bread crumbs and decided to deep-fry it. "Fried Ravioli" became "Toasted Ravioli" and its popularity skyrocketed ever since.

Toasted ravioli has experienced many delicious variations throughout the United States, and while it is served most frequently in the St. Louis area and throughout surrounding regions of the midwest, it is available in other parts of the country as well. In St. Louis and the midwest, toasted ravioli typically contains beef or veal. In New England, Toasted ravioli is traditionally stuffed with provolone or parmesan cheese. In the Western United States, rare instances of toasted ravioli have been known to contain chicken. Many other ingredients have been added to toasted ravioli and chefs are still experimenting with different fillings for this famous appetizer.

• Cuisine of the Midwest
• Cuisine of the United States

• Charlie Gitto's Recipe for Toasted Ravioli as collected by FoodNetwork

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