This week we are going to have a Fat Sunday celebration for Sunday Supper! YAY! As you all know, Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras is on the 4th of March, so we are all sharing decadent or Mardi Gras inspired recipes.
This is an absolute treat for me. If you follow Manu’s Menu, you will know that Mardi Gras, or Carnevale for us Italians, is my favourite time of the year! I have always loved it. You see, Carnevale is quite big in Italy and all kids dress up for almost a week and go on parades with all kinds of floats. There are many famous Carnevali in Italy, like the ones of Venice, Ivrea, Cento, Viareggio, Putignano… these attract hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. But every little town in Italy celebrates Carnevale. It’s “our Halloween”… when kids tell jokes, make pranks and throw coriandoli (coloured paper confetti) all around. And, of course, like for all good old celebrations… there’s plenty of food. During this time of the year in fact, we tend to eat lots of sweets and fried food, because Carnevale comes right before the period of Lent during which Catholics usually fast (or eat less). So far, I have shared with you how to make a few Carnevale treats like Chiacchiere, Tortelli di Carnevale, Meat filled Apulian Panzerotti… and today I am back with another quintessential Carnevale recipe: Ravioli dolci – aka sweet ravioli. They are delicious rectangles of sweet dough, filled with jam, fried and dusted with icing sugar. The funny thing about them is that they look like pasta (sans icing sugar, of course), thus their name. These are served at all Carnevale parties! Enjoy and check out my Carnevale Pinterest gallery for more ideas on what to serve for your Mardi Gras! Ah… and stay tuned as my next recipe will be another Carnevale classic! Thank you so much Leslie of La Cocina de Leslie for being an amazing host!
Ravioli dolci di Carnevale
Ravioli dolci di Carnevale - fried "ravioli" filled with jam and dusted with icing sugar, a typical Italian sweet eaten during Carnevale.
Ingredients
Ravioli Dough
- 300 gms – 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 50 gms – 3 ½ tbsp butter
- 60 gms – ¼ cup + 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 60 ml – 3 tbsp milk
- 40 ml – 2 tbsp Rhum
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Filling & Assembling
- Jam
- Icing sugar
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
Instructions
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Put all the dough ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and knead well until you have a smooth and elastic dough.
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Divide the dough into smaller pieces and start working with one (keep the remaining dough covered with cling wrap so it doesn’t dry out).
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Flatten the piece of dough into a rectangular shape with your hands.
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Put a little flour on it and begin passing it through the pasta machine. Turn the dial to the widest setting (#1) and, starting with one of the shorter sides of the rectangle, feed it through the rollers.
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Now fold one side of the piece of dough into the middle, then fold the other side over that to form 3 layers.
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Starting with one of the narrower sides of the folded dough, feed the dough through the machine, again at the widest setting. Repeat the folding and rolling technique on the widest setting for at least a couple of times.
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Now you can start rolling it thinner, by turning the dial to the next narrowest setting (# 2). Roll the dough through the machine without folding the dough between settings. Keep reducing the settings until #5 or #6. If the sheet of dough gets too long, you can cut it in half with a knife.
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Now put the filling with a teaspoon on one half of the sheet of dough. Make sure to leave some space in between, like in the pictures.
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Fold the other half of the sheet onto the filling and press well all around. Make sure there are no air bubbles inside, or the ravioli will open while cooking and the filling will come out. To seal the dough use a little bit of water or egg white.
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Cut around the filling in a squarish shape and remove the excess dough.
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Fry them in batches in warm vegetable oil.
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When golden on both sides, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them on a plate covered with kitchen paper.
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Serve your sweet ravioli lukewarm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Ravioli dolci are best enjoyed on the day they are made.
Check out all these amazing Mardi Gras ideas!
Cocktails & Other Beverages:
- The Hurricane Cocktail Recipe from An Appealing Plan
- The French 75 from Kimchi MOM
- Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie from Peanut Butter and Peppers
Appetizers:
- Fried Oysters and Remoulade from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Shrimp in Mustard Sauce from Noshing With The Nolands
- Mini Sweet Potato Pies from MealDiva
- Cajun Crab Beignets from Delaware Girl Eats
- Pancetta and Mushroom Arancini from Ruffles & Truffles
Main Dishes:
- Creole Shrimp Po Boy Recipe from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
- Chicken and Sausage Gumbo from Supper for a Steal
- Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya from Yours And Mind Are Ours
- Vegan Pizza Waffles from Killer Bunnies, Inc.
- Red Beans and Rice from Cookin’ Mimi
- Baked Catfish Po’Boy from Curious Cuisiniere
- Muffaletta from Casa de Crews
- Bayou Seafood and Andouille Jambalaya from The Weekend Gourmet
- Seafood Gumbo from Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Cajun Rice and Beans from Momma’s Meals
- Creole Celery Root Bisque (with Lobster) from The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Louisiana Roasted Barbecue Shrimp from Food Lust People Love
- Cajun Dirty Rice Bowls from The Dinner-Mom
- New Orleans Fried Chicken from Family Foodie
Side Dishes:
- Baked Endive and Pears in Blue Cream Sauce from Shockingly Delicious
- Okra Creole from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Desserts:
- Banana Creme Pie with Honey Whipped Cream and Pecan Brittle from The Foodie Patootie
- Chocolate Ganache Tart from Melanie Makes
- Banana Bread Pudding from Gotta Get Baked
- Delicious Saffron Baked Beignets from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- New Orleans Bread Pudding with Caramel Whiskey Sauce from La Bella Vita Cucina
- Polish Paczki from Cravings of a Lunatic
- Buttermilk Beignets from The Messy Baker
- Eggless Bread Pudding in a Jar from What Smells So Good?
- Mint Julep Bars from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Mardi Gras Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frostingfrom Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Mardi Gras Long Johns from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
- Mexican Chocolate Coffee Cake from La Cocina de Leslie
- Fasnetküchle from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- Cheesecake Swirl Brownies from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Pecan and Chocolate Pralines from Desserts Required
- Chocolate Raspberry Cake from Clarks Condensed
- Baked Coconut Beignets from Mess Makes Food
- Ravioli dolci di Carnevale from Manu’s Menu
- Strawberry Paczki from Neighborfood
- Blackberry Fritters from girlichef
- Brownie Chocolate Chip Cheesecake from Magnolia Days
- Flourless Chocolate Cake in a Mug with Coconut Cream from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Pecan Bars from Pies and Plots
- “Skinny Tuesday” Bananas Foster Cheesecake Parfaits from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Mocha Pear Cake from Happy Baking Days
- Skinny Baked Beignets from Daily Dish Recipes
Marjory @ Dinner-Mom says
These look amazing. I’ve never tried making ravioli. But, this is the recipe that might take me to the brink!
Cathy says
Oooh — your photos are good enough to eat all by themselves! And I love the idea of dessert ravioli.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
These look fantastic, and you sooo have me wanting to make my next trip to Italy during Carnevale!
Betsy @ Desserts Required says
Ravioli with sweet dough? You are speaking my language! LOVE these!!
Renee - Kudos Kitchen says
So beautiful! You’ve done a fantastic job with the recipe and the step-by-step photos. My mouth is watering!
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
What a special treat! Sweet fried ravioli sounds so good. And I adore that milk bottle! So cute!
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ says
Manuela this is amazing! It really looks like jam filled chiacchiere. I’m drooling…
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
What a creative recipe! I never heard or thought of a sweet ravioli! I now need to try this!!
Liz says
What fun it must have been to celebrate Carnivale in Italy…so much more fun than Halloween! And your traditional ravioli look amazing!!! Beautiful.
Heather // girlichef says
These are just gorgeous, Manu! Oh how I’d love to attend a Carnevale celebration in Italy one day…
Tara says
What fun are those!! I love them for Mardi Gras!!
Family Foodie says
This is such a fabulous recipe. I can not wait to try it. You amaze me with your creative style.
Shaina says
Dessert ravioli!? Carbs and sweets all rolled into one, how indulgent!
Laura Dembowski says
Sweet ravioli? Be still my heart. I could eat a whole plate of these!
Bea says
Your Ravioli Dolci sound and look just amazing. It is interesting to read how in Italy as well Carnevale – just like in Southern Germany – is celebrated for a week. I have always loved this time of year and we try to celebrate here at least once with our kids in the German community in PDX 🙂
Shannon R says
What a fantatic recipe, this is great for sharing, I love bite sized treats.
Cindys Recipes and Writings says
I love fruit ravioli! carnevale in Italy sounds wonderful!
MealDiva says
Amazing pictures! They make me want one…like right now!
Leslie @ La Cocina de Leslie says
Carnevale in Italy sounds like SO much fun! How lucky you are to be able to enjoy the celebration! These ravioli dolce look incredible!
Lizzy (Good Things) says
Oh Manuela, these look so delicious!
Jennifer Barnaby says
I’ve only ever seen these sold as single layered sheets in the markets in Italy and your filled version look so decadent. I thank you for posting it but my hips don’t.
Jane's Adventures in Dinner says
Oh, love at first sight.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
Wow, I’d love to visit Italy during carnevale! That sounds like so much fun. And these dessert raviolis – be still my beating heart. They look incredible! That pastry is perfect, so light and flaky. I love your beautiful photos too.
Katie says
These…look…amazing!!!!!
Jamie says
I have had so many Carnivale treats while living in Italy but never these! I love them… like chiacchiere but filled with jam!
Kim Beaulieuc says
Oh my gosh Manu, this looks so good. I just want to sink my teeth into one, or ten.
Sarah says
Delicious!
sunithi says
Your pictures are amazing and that looks like a yummy treat!!!
Renee says
Oh my goodness. This is ravioli like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I’ll take the whole batch please. So splurge worthy.