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Stuffed pasta goes way back, and is incredibly varied, from simple triangles stuffed with ricotta to towering masterpieces such as lobster-filled ravioli with a radicchio sauce. Lots of Variety!
Alessio's Crespelle alla Fiorentina - An Illustrated Baked Pasta Recipe
Crespelle, as one might guess, is the Italian word for crepes, and they go back a very long ways. They also look beautiful, and are quite easy to make, once you have the hang of it, and are therefore the sort of thing that people will think you have gone to great deal more effort to make than you have. In short, the perfect beginning to a Sunday dinner or holiday meal, or something to serve company.
Alessio's Crespelle alla Fiorentina
Crespelle, as one might guess, is the Italian word for crepes, and they go back a very long ways. They also look beautiful, and are quite easy to make, once you have the hang of it, and are therefore the sort of thing that people will think you have gone to great deal more effort to make than you have. In short, the perfect beginning to a Sunday dinner or holiday meal, or something to serve company.
Seafood Cannelloni -- Canelloni di Mare
Seafood Cannelloni: Quick, easy, and quite delicate: A good choice for a special occasion. A fine manicotti dish.
Spinach Ravioli, or Ravioli di Spinaci
This is an Italian Jewish recipe for ravioli, and since it is designed to be followed by dishes containing meat, it omits the cheese one often finds in green-based ravioli fillings, substituting for it with chicken breast or veal.
Ravioli and Crescione Pie -- Ravioli Pasticciati col Crescione
Ravioli and Crescione Pie, or Ravioli Pasticciati col Crescione: If you have leftover ravioli, what could be better than baking them in a tasty cheesy pie? You may even find yourself boiling up some ravioli to enjoy it when you have no leftovers handy.
Ravioli Stuffed with Grouper and Greens, in a Pink Sauce
Ravioli Stuffed with Grouper and Greens, in a Pink Sauce, or Ravioloni con Ripieno di Cernia e Verdura in Salsa Rosa: This is quite traditional, and is a wonderful use for leftover fish too. Though the title specifies grouper, feel free to use any flavorful roasted or boiled fish you have at hand. The suffix -oni means "larger..."
Fagottini Stuffed with Steamed Carrots and String Beans -- Fagottini di Fagiolini e Carotine al Vapore
Fagottini Stuffed with Steamed Carrots and String Beans, or Fagottini di Fagiolini e Carotine al Vapore: Fagottini are square pasta-filled packets that are similar to ravioli, but easier to make. In this case they're filled with steamed greens and ricotta.
Conchiglioni Stuffed with Peas -- Conchiglioni Ripieni ai Piselli
Conchiglioni Stuffed with Peas, or Conchiglioni Ripieni ai Piselli: Conchiglioni are large snail shell-shaped pasta that is thick sided and has an ample cavity, which is ideal for stuffing. In this case with ricotta and peas. You could also use the filling for cannelloni.
Potato and Sausage Ravioli -- Ravioli di Patate e Salsiccia
Potato and Sausage Ravioli, or Ravioli di Patate e Salsiccia: One might be surprised to encounter potatoes in the filling of stuffed pasta, but they work very well and do an excellent job of supporting the ingredients that provide the flavor, which would simply be too strong by themselves. In this case, sausages.
Milanese Ravioli -- Ravioeu Alla Milanese
Milanese Ravioli, or Ravioeu Alla Milanese: "Let's stop calling these agnoletti, rid ourselves of that Romagnan aftertaste, and use the name every self-respecting Lombard uses, especially those from Milano: Ravioli. It's a dish that the learned have traced back to the XV Century, though its origin is unclear: Many different regions claim the honor. However, one need just read the ingredients....
Squash Ravioli with Pancetta and Lentils -- Ravioli di Zucca con Lenticchie e Pancetta
Squash Ravioli with Pancetta and Lentils, or Ravioli di Zucca con Lenticchie e Pancetta: You can make your squash ravioli from scratch, but if you start with a pound (450 g) of commercially prepared squash ravioli you'll save quite a bit of time.
Ravioli Stuffed with Anchovies, Buffalo Mozzarella and Raisins, Served with an Artichoke-and-Thyme Sauce
Ravioli Stuffed with Anchovies, Buffalo Mozzarella and Raisins, Served with an Artichoke-and-Thyme Sauce: The Guide in Concordi's poured tastings of Val di Cornia wines were for the press. However, they also held an event for the general public that included a couple of cooking demonstrations held by Giorgio Nocciolini, who used to cook at the Gambero Rosso, one of Italy's best restaurants, which is located in the nearby beach town of San Vincenzo....
Sardinian Ravioli with Greens -- Ravioli con Verdura
Ravioli with Greens, or Ravioli con Verdura: This is a Sardinian recipe with an Italianicised title -- Alessandro Molinari Pradelli instead calls these Culingionis.
Tortellini with Porcini, Bacon, Olives, and Marjoram -- Tortellini con Porcini, Bacon, Olive e Maggiorana
Tortellini with Porcini, Bacon, Olives, and Marjoram, or Tortellini con Porcini, Bacon, Olive e Maggiorana: Tortellini are more versatile than many give them credit for. Here you'll want fairly large ones (as opposed to the tiny nibble-sized tortellini that go into soup). The bacon, which is a rare ingredient in Italian cooking, will add a smoky note to the sauce that will nicely offset the porcini.
Ravioli Pesaresi
Ravioli Pesaresi: Tasty spinach-and-ricotta ravioli that gain grace from lemon zest and herbs.
Tordelli
Tordelli are stuffed pasta with a meat-based filling, and are to the Apuans what maccheroni might be to a Neapolitan. In other words, a signature dish that everyone makes and ever restaurant has on the menu. As is usually the case when a dish enters the local psyche, there are innumerable variations.
Stuffed Lumaconi -- Lumaconi Farciti
Stuffed Lumaconi, or Lumaconi Farciti: Lumache (pronounced lumakeh) are snails, and their shells closely resemble this pasta shape, hence the name. They're large, and are generally stuffed, in this case with a tasty mixture of ham and porcini mushrooms.
Cannelloni with Olives and Bell Peppers -- Cannelloni con Peperoni e Olive
Cannelloni with Olives and Bell Peppers, or Cannelloni con Peperoni e Olive: Cannelloni (also known as manicotti in some parts of the world) are generally made with meat based fillings, or so has been my experience. However, vegetarian fillings can be just as tasty, and in the warmer months will be more refreshing as well.
Recioto: What to serve it with? Tortelli di Zucca!
Recioto: What to serve it with? Tortelli di Zucca! Recioto della Valpolicella is a rich, sweet Veronese wine that Roman aristocrats eagerly sought out 2000 years ago. It's popularity has waned of late in favor of Amarone, but it remains one of the finest accompaniments for cheeses one could think of, especially soft piquant cheeses along the lines of Gorgonzola, which generally clash with the tannins of red wines. Another option is sweet foods...
Sicula's Ravioli with Squash
Sicula's Ravioli With Squash: Sicula kindly posted this recipe on the Forum, and has also given me permission to archive it. "I'm sorry I can't help you much with the pasta dough other than to advise that it should be made with eggs and rolled out super thin. The recipe for the filing makes enough to fill an amount of pasta made with 5 cups of flour and 5 eggs."
Cheese Filled Agnolotti -- Agnolotti ai Formaggi
Agnolotti (pronounced anneeolottee) are a Piemontese stuffed pasta; the filling is generally meat-based, and the meats are often leftovers. But not always; there are also agnolotti with a ricotta-based filling, seasoned with unsalted butter and fresh sage. Very nice, and here's a recipe. In the absence of Piemontese cheeses use a mix of fairly mild cheeses, at least some of which become creamy as they melt.
Agnolotti
Agnolotti (pronounced anneeolottee) are Piemontese stuffed pasta, and come in a great many different varieties, some filled with cheese, others meat, and others still meatless. They are, in any case square and small, about 3/4 of an inch to an inch on a side, and are made using very thin sheets of pasta. They also are often made from cooked meat, in other words, leftovers. Recycling can result in something both elegant and very tasty.
Ravioli with Sturgeon -- Ravioli allo Storione
Ravioli allo Storione -- Ravioli with Sturgeon -- Ravioli allo Storione -- Ravioli with Sturgeon
Fregnacce
Fregnacce: This extraordinarily simple pasta dish from the Marche has a punch. Quite a bit of a punch, and some serve it with a little bit of broth for those unused to sharp flavors or spicy foods. It's now considered poor mountain cuisine, but I wonder how poor it was in the past when pepper was expensive. What it was, and is, is stimulating, a zesty dish that will perk up the digestion, and if eaten under the proper circumstances, much more.
Panzarotti
These are Neapolitan fried ravioli, for want of a better name, and are an indispensable part of Frienno e Magnanno, the classic Neapolitan fritto misto. They'll also work quite nicely as antipasti, or as a side dish, and you may find yourself making them as snack food. This recipe will serve 6.
Grandma Ersilia's Ravioli -- Ravioli di Nonna Ersilia
Grandma Ersilia's Ravioli: This is an interesting, and somewhat unexpected recipe from the Abruzzo region. It's typical of around Tronto, and should be sweet but not overly so. To serve 4-5.
Scarafiuni
Scarafiuni are a ricotta-based stuffed pasta from Puglia, which work quite well with Puglia's hearty meat sauce.
Cannelloni filled with Ricotta and Sausages -- Cannelloni Ripieni di R
This is a somewhat more rustic cannellone filling. You'll want mild Italian sausage, not the spicy variety, and fresh ricotta of the kind sold in delicatessens that's somewhat crumbly. To serve 6 you'll need:
Cannelloni with Béchamel Sauce -- Cannelloni alla Besciamella
Cannelloni must have come into existence in the Teens, because Artusi, who was ever quick to add a recipe to his book, doesn't mention them, whereas Ada Boni, writing in 1929, does. Here's a classic, quite simple cannellone recipe.
Etruscan Style Cannelloni -- Cannelloni all'Etrusca
I also got a request for "Mushroom tortellini in Fontina Sauce like the stuff the Olive Garden used to serve. It's tortellini with mushrooms, diced ham, and peas in a white cheese sauce that we believe is called fontina cheese sauce. I first had this dish when I was stationed in Germany. The stuff the O. G. served was the closest I could ever find." Alas, I haven't succeeded in finding a mushroom-based filling for tortellini. I have, however, found cannelloni with mushrooms.
Emilian Tortellini Pie -- Pasticcio di Tortellini all'Emiliana
This is a classic recipe, which follows the Renaissance tradition of combining sweet (the crust) and salty (the filling); if you would rather you can reduce the sweetness of thecrust some. The tortellini should be a little al dente when the dish is done; this means you will want to cook them until they are just shy of done before putting them in the pie. And the filling as a whole should be moist. If you have leftovers heat them over a double boiler.
Potato Tortelli -- Tortelli di Patata
Tortelli di Patata, stuffed pasta with a potato based filling, are the high point of many a sagra and country fair. According to a friend who owned a pasta factory, they must be made by hand to come out right, because the dough of the sheet is too thick for machines. It’s worth the effort.
Ravioli Stuffed with Ricotta -- Ravioli di Ricotta
Artusi, the late dean of Italian gastronomes, after discussing ravioli notes that his native Romagnans, “because the climate requires a very substantial diet, and perhaps because they’re used to hearty food, are as enthusiastic about cooked vegetables as they are about having smoke blown in their eyes;” he goes on to suggest that Ravioli di Ricotta are Romagnan. He may be right. In any case, they’re good.
Tortellini with Cream -- Tortellini alla Panna
These tortellini are served dry, and should be a little larger than those served in broth. Sou are of course free to buy the tortellini and make the sauce. If you'd rather make the tortellini from scratch, for the stuffing you will need:
Tortellini in Broth -- Tortellini in Brodo
The difference between cappelletti, from Modena, and tortellini, from Bologna, lies in the stuffing and not in the form. According to the Modenese, cappelletti are shaped like hats: On the other hand, Giuseppe Cerri, whom the Bolognese credit with the happy invention of the tortellino, claimed to have been inspired by a vision of Venus’s navel.
Cappelletti
The word cappelletto means “little hat,” which is what this pasta should resemble; they're from Modena. They are traditionally served in broth, as are their cousins, tortellini (the difference lies in the stuffing); indeed, the traditional North Italian Christmas dinner starts with cappelletti in capon broth.
Trout Ravioli -- Ravioli di Trota
Lombardia has a great many lakes and waterways, so trout ravioli are a natural.
Lobster Ravioli in a Radicchio Sauce -- Ravioli di Astice in Salsa di
The radicchio in the sauce does a wonderful job of tempering the sweetness of the lobster in the filling.
Agnelotti with Spiny Lobster and Shrimp -- Agnolotti di Aragosta e Sca
Agnolotti di Aragosta e Scampi is an elegant recipe that will be perfect for company or a romantic occasion.
Ricotta Calzoncelli, Calzoncelli di Ricotta
This simple stuffed pasta is from the Murge, the wild high plains inland of Bari, in Puglia.
Ravioli Liguri
This is the original Ligurian recipe, which doesn’t call for any meat at all -- mostly greens, and some cheese.
About Ravioli and other Stuffed Pasta
The tradition goes tremendously far back.
About Cannelloni
Also known (in the US) as manicotti, these are a relatively recent development. And good too.
Tortellini
How could something isnspired by Venus's navel not be tasty?
Tortellini with Cream Sauce: Tortellini alla Panna
Tortellini and cream sauce make a surprisingly happy marriage.
Cannelloni Provencal Style: Cannelloni alla Provenzale
A heartier filling, with pork and spinach, which will be wonderful in winter.
Cappelletti
Similar to tortellini, but more delicate, they're the beginning of Christmas dinner in much of the North.
Fazzoletti
An easy stuffed pasta destined to become a standby
Panzarotti
Neapolitan fried ravioli.
Pegai
Ravioli with a chestnut flour filling, from my review of Richard Sidoli's Cooking of Parma.
Spinach Roll: Salame di Spinaci
A sheet of pasta, spread with spinach and ricotta and rolled up: Elegant and ideal for a festive meal.
Sweet Potato Ravioli: Ravioli di Patata Americana
Stuart Borken's variation on butternut squash filled ravioli involves sweet potatoes.
Black Porcini Ravioli with Quattro Formaggi Sauce
A libidinous recipe from the folks at Eat Dangerously.com. (Warning: some may find the language on this site objectionable.)
Butternut Squash Tortellini with a Walnut Sauce
From a neat site called Ditty's Sunday Supper. Has nice illustrations of the procedure.
Cannelloni Florentina
A veal & spinach based filling with other minced vegetables and herbs as well. I'd reduce the carrots from 2 to 1, however, lest the cannelloni come out too sweet.
Salt Cod, Fennel and Potato Cannelloni
Cannelloni owe much of their popularity to the impression they make at festive meals; a Southern variety that will certainly please.
Schiaffi
To most Italians the word means slaps, but to Romans they are also ravioli with a pecorino romano and ricotta filling. Includes the address of an American supplier who ships ricotta.

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