This traditional ravioli is simple enough to make from scratch, and is a perfect way to engage the whole family in the kitchen.
“This is my late motherโs recipe. It has always been an indispensable element of those holiday gatherings bringing together three to four generations in the big dining room, and equally enjoyed by all.
I still remember my mom, busy in the kitchen which was rather messy, flour on the big table, the pasta machine ready to be used and us trying to be helpfulโฆour willingness appreciated, our assistance not really. She usually prepared them a day in advance, a kind of build-up for the upcoming feast. Next day, noon approaching, you could smell the fat chicken boiling (vegetarians, my apologies, you can eventually skip this part) in the broth of which the ravioli would be cooked for four to five minutes.
Of course, later on freezers were invented, so you could indulge making them for fewer people and keep the rest for future use. Some claim they are even better cooked from frozen; they risk less to break or stick during boiling.
We still make ravioli with my wife, Eleni (I as chef, giving advice, Eleni as the commis, doing the work). Regardless, as Proust would say (he didnโt): a glimpse of eternity.
Culinary experts say this dish has its origins in Venetian Cyprus during the Renaissance period.
- MARIOS LYSIOTIS, AMBASSADOR OF CYPRUS
๐จ๐พ Cyprus: Cypriot Ravioli
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 Cups Flour sifted
- 2 Eggs
- 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Water lukewarm
Filling
- 2 Whole halloumi cheeses grated
- 2-3 Eggs
- 2-3 Tbsp Dried mint
Instructions
- To make the dough, put the flour in a bowl, make a well in the middle and add the eggs and olive oil, stirring gently to combine. Gradually add the water and keep mixing and kneading until you make a firm and smooth dough. Cover with a towel and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
- For the filling, grate halloumi cheese and mix in the dried mint. Add the eggs one by one and mix until you have a firm mixture that holds together.
- Divide the dough into palm-sized portions. Flour each portion and roll it out into a thin pasta sheet either with a rolling pin or with a pasta machine (preferably!). If using a pasta machine, pass it twice on the setting for medium thickness and then once at the thinnest setting.
- Place the pasta sheet on a flat, floured surface. Put a teaspoon of filling on the bottom half of the pasta sheet leaving a one-inch gap between the fillings.
- Fold the top pasta sheet over the fillings and use your hands to press the dough around each filling tore move any air and help seal the ravioli.
- Cut the ravioli in a semi-circle shape, either by using a small cup or a ravioli cutter stamp.
- You can use a fork to give the edges some texture if desired, too!
- Place ravioli on a flat, floured dish and dust with flour to prevent them from sticking. You can either freeze them covered in plastic wrap or cook them right away in chicken stock.
- Cooking time is approx. 4-5 min from fresh and 15 min if frozen. Some prefer cooking from frozen, as they tend to stick together less.
- Serve them sprinkled with grated halloumi cheese and dried sweet mint.