Toasted Ravioli

A St. Louis appetizer of meat-filled ravioli that are breaded and deep-fried rather than boiled, then dusted with grated Parmesan and served with a side of marinara for dipping. Despite the name, nothing is toasted — the pasta is fried until the breadcrumb shell is golden and crisp while the filling steams within. It originated in the Italian-American neighborhood known as The Hill and is now a regional bar-and-restaurant staple across the city.

Egg

The dish is traced to The Hill, St. Louis's Italian-American district, where by the early 1940s a ravioli was reportedly dropped into a fryer by accident and proved a hit. Two restaurants both claim the invention: Oldani's (now Mama's on the Hill), which advertised toasted ravioli in the St. Louis Star and Times in 1943, and Angelo's (now Charlie Gitto's), which did not open until 1947. Restaurateur Lou Oldani is credited with the name "toasted," reasoning that neither "fat-fried" nor "greasy-fried" would sell.

The breadcrumb shell shatters audibly, giving way to a soft, chewy pasta layer and a pocket of seasoned meat filling that releases a puff of steam. The shower of grated Parmesan adds a dry, salty edge; the marinara on the side brings bright tomato acidity to cut the fried richness. Eaten hot from the fryer, the contrast of crackling crust against the tender, juicy center is the whole point — gone cold, the shell turns leathery.

Fresh or thawed ravioli are coated in flour, egg wash and seasoned breadcrumbs, then fried at about 190°C. Because the pasta is not boiled first, the breadcrumb coating crisps and browns by Maillard reaction while the trapped moisture inside the dough steams the filling through — a single fry both cooks the pasta and sets the shell. The egg wash is what binds the crumbs to the slick pasta surface; without it the coating slides off in the oil.

Variations

Beef-filled ravioli are the St. Louis standard, but cheese-filled versions are common and toasted ravioli now appears stuffed with crab, mushroom, or even buffalo chicken in newer kitchens. The frozen, pre-breaded supermarket product sold across the Midwest brought the dish well beyond Missouri. It is distinct from boiled Italian ravioli such as the spinach-and-ricotta version, sharing only the pasta envelope.

On the Palate

Where Toasted Ravioli sits in the American flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 lb (450 g)Ravioli

1/2 cupAll-Purpose Flour

2Egg

1.5 cupsBreadcrumbs

1/4 cup, gratedParmesan

1 cupTomato Sauce

for fryingVegetable Oil

to tasteSalt

How it's made

6 steps · 30 min

1
5 min
Set up three bowls: seasoned flour, beaten egg with a splash of milk, and Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs.
2
8 min
Dredge each ravioli in flour, dip in egg wash, then press firmly into the breadcrumbs to coat fully.
Watch out
Press the crumbs on firmly after the egg wash — skip the egg or press lightly and the coating slides off in the oil.
3
5 min
Heat oil to 190°C in a deep pot or fryer.
4
6 min
Fry the ravioli in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp, turning once.
Watch out
Fry just until golden and crisp, 2–3 minutes — the pasta isn't boiled first, so the fry both crisps the shell and steams the filling through.
5
3 min
Drain on a rack and immediately dust with grated Parmesan and a little salt.
6
3 min
Serve hot with a bowl of warm marinara sauce for dipping.

Archive tool suggestions — not reviewed

These legacy suggestions have not been evidence-reviewed and are not presented as required tools.

Cast-Iron Skillet

A heavy, single-piece cast iron pan, 25-30 cm across, weighing 1.5-2.5 kg. Once preheated, the thick mass holds 230°C+ even when a cold steak hits the surface — that's the secret to a deep crust. A well-seasoned skillet (multiple thin layers of polymerized oil baked into the iron) is essentially nonstick, gets better with use, and lasts a century. Lodge skillets from Tennessee have been in continuous production since 1896.

Techniques

Deep Frying