Ravioli
by Lady Scholastica Joycors
The history of pasta is a somewhat debated subject. It may date back as far as the 4th Century Etruscan and Ostrogothic periods1. There are records of it in Chinese, Indian, Mongol, Persian, and Arabic cuisine going back to at least the 9th Century and a thousands before that, mostly in the form of noodles, according to the Oxford Companion to Food.2
The popular belief is that explorer Marco Polo brought pasta back home to Venice after his travels to China in the 13th Century. However, according to Tannahill, noodles were introduced into Venice from the Middle East as early as the 11th Century; for instance, Sicilian inheritance records from that time include “one basket full of maccheroni.”
Ravioli is stuffed pasta. It could be as simple as mixed cheeses and herbs, meat stuffed or a combination of vegetables and meats. The recipes I found began in the 14th century Anglo-Norman collections and continued into Italy.
To make Ravioli you need to start by making fresh pasta dough and let it rest for 30 minutes before rolling out. For the most part any pasta recipe will do as the recipe has not changed in centuries, flour, eggs, a pinch of salt and splash of oil. The filling is why we eat ravioli.
Get a pound and a half of old cheese and a little fresh creamy cheese, and a pound of bacon or of loin of veal that should be well boiled, then chopped; get ground fra-grant herbs, pepper, cloves, ginger and saffron, adding in a well ground breast of chicken; mix all of this well together; make a thin dough and wrap the mixture in it the size of a nut; set these ravioli to cook in the fat broth of a capon or of some other good meat, adding a little saffron, and let them boil for half an hour; then set them out in dish-es, garnished with a mixture of grated cheese and good spices.
Redaction of the Filling
2 1/4 (or so) ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 ounce cream cheese at room temperature
2 slices thick bacon, cooked to slightly crispy and well-drained 1 tablespoon shallot, finely chopped
1/4 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 tablespoon fresh oregano or marjoram, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon Poudre Fines (see recipe below)
1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh, about 4 ounces
2 pinches of salt
Poudre Fines
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon mace
1 teaspoon grains of paradise or cardamon
Mix together and store in a sealed container.
FILLING: Mix the cheddar and cream cheeses well. Chop the bacon into small pieces and mix with the cheeses. Add the shallot, parsley, oregano, and spices; mix well.
Cut the chicken into chunks and saute' in the bacon grease until no longer pink. Put in food processor or mortar and process until a paste. Mix with the cheeses.
Taste for salt and add a pinch or two as needed. The bacon and cheese might be salty enough. After everything is mixed well, put into covered container and refrigerate. Makes about 3/4 of a cup.
MAKING THE RAVIOLI: After your dough has rested for 30 minutes, divide in half and roll one half out till it is thin enough to see through. Cut into equal squares. Place a dollop of your filling in the center of each square, leaving enough room to seal them. Rub rub water around the filling and place a second square on the top and press together.
Drop each ravioli one at a time into the broth-flavored water, strongly simmering water. Boil for about two minutes they were removed, drained, and tasted. It is said if they float to the top they are done.
References:
Ravioli from The Neapolitan Recipe Collection, 15th Century Italian
Medieval Pasta: History, Preparation, and Recipes http://www.katjaorlova.com/PastaClass.html
The Medieval Kitchen, pg. 13.
The Original Mediterranean Cuisine, pg. 29. The standard way of cooking pasta was in stock, or in water with salt, butter, and oil; it was served with grated cheese, and sometimes spices as well… Alternatively, pasta could be cooked with sugar and almond milk, or with goat's milk. Fresh pasta was used to make ravioli and tortelli, which were filled with a thick puree of meat, chicken, or vegetables, often combined with fresh cheese and bound with egg. Like other forms of pasta, these were usually cooked in stock and accompanied by grated cheese.”
©2019 MyLinda Butterworth (scholastica.ppa@gmail.com) This article first appeared in The Yeoman: September 2019
Permission is granted for republication in SCA-related publications, provided the author is credited and receives a copy.
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