How to make toasted ravioli, the crispy, cheesy St. Louis snack worthy of broad acclaim
The Peninsula
When people on TikTok were losing their minds over pasta chips this summer, I was baffled why the attention and praise wasn't going to a far superior fried pasta product instead: toasted ravioli.
What makes this dish so much better is the additional flavor you get from the ravioli filling and the way the breading is light and crisp once it's fried, compared to the dense crunch of naked pasta chips. Also known as toasted ravs - or more simply t-ravs to those in the know - this dish features ravioli that have been breaded, deep fried, sprinkled with cheese and served with marinara for dipping. The appetizer makes for a great addition to any spread for football games, cocktail parties or whatever other gatherings people are throwing these days.
Toasted ravioli originated in "the Hill," an Italian-American neighborhood of St. Louis "founded in the 1830s by immigrants from Northern Italy," according to the Takeout. The exact tale of who invented this delicacy is up for debate, but it seems to have been around since the 1940s and has been a local staple ever since.
