Ravioles is a Cypriot specialty, similar to ravioli, probably having its roots from the Venetian times. In Cyprus this pasta dish is filled with aged halloumi, eggs and mint and they are cooked in chicken broth.
This is the dish my mother would prepare during Tyrini Sunday, the last Sunday before Lent, which means cheese Sunday.
On Tyrini the tradition is to cook anything with cheese, such as (tyropita), pasta, bourekia (turnovers), biscuits, etc.
The traditional way of make the ravioles is to roll out the phyllo until thin, add a teaspoon of filling, leave a gap of about 3 – 4 cm and continue adding cheese.
Then cover with the other phyllo and press the gaps with the finger to enclose the filling.
Finally cut the ravioles, using a drinking glass to form them into a semicircle and boil.
Alternatively, you can cut them in a ravioli press or using a ravioli cutter.
At this stage you can freeze them. To cook them, do not thaw them as they will stick to each other.
Just put them in the boiling water and they will defrost in the water.
A few days ago my son came back from Crete and some friends from Crete, were kind enough to send me a lot of graviera cheese and fresh anthotyro cheese .
So I had to think of something to do because it was a lot to store.
I decided to make some ravioles with the graviera cheese and with the anthotyro I made another Cypriot recipe called “Anarotourta”.
This and many more Cypriot recipes are included in my cookbook Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste as well as in Volume 1 of the e-cookbook.
Ravioles (Cypriot ravioli)
Ravioles is a Cypriot pasta specialty, similar to ravioli, which are filled with aged halloumi, eggs and mint and are cooked in chicken broth. They are served with grated halloumi on top.
Ingredients
- 500 grams durum wheat or all-purpose flour
- (You can make the dough with olive oil or water or with eggs (see links below)
For the filling:
- 500 grams (1.10 lbs) halloumi cheese, grated
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons dried mint
- Extra halloumi and dried mint for sprinkling on top
For Chicken Stock:
- Chicken with skin and bones on
- 6 - 8 cups of water
- Salt
Instructions
- Boil the chicken and reserve the broth.
- Prepare the dough. Follow the instructions in the recipe or that for Toretellini by adding eggs.
- Grate the cheese and mix in the dried mint. Add the, eggs one by one and mix until we have a nice mixture which holds together and cheese has been absorbed by the eggs.
- Roll out a thin phyllo either with a pasta machine or manually.
- Place 1 tsp of cheese mixture at the edge and leaving a gap of about 3cm (1 inch) in between continue adding cheese. Cover with remaining phyllo and press the gaps with your finger.
- Cut the ravioles with a drinking water glass, to give a half a semicircle shape or cut them with a ravioli cutter.
- Bring chicken broth or stock to a boil. If your broth contains salt, do not add any extra salt as halloumi is salty. Place ravioli in the boiling water and cook as any other pasta, for about 10 – 15 minutes stirring occasionally, as they will float.
- Remove with a slotted spoon into platter and sprinkle with grated halloumi mixed with dried mint.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 619Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 127mgSodium 597mgCarbohydrates 68gFiber 3gSugar 2gProtein 25g
Tyrini Sunday Recipes
Here are some creations of mine with cheese:
Dakos Savoury Greek Cheesecake
A savoury cheesecake I made during Christmas, based on the Greek Cretan recipe for Dakos.
Bourekia me Freskia Anari - Pastries with Fresh Anari Cheese
Boureki (plural bourekia) is a type of pastry made of a thin flaky dough known as phyllo and are filled with anari (anthotyros or myzithra, as it is known in Greece), which is similar to ricotta.
Moustokouloura with Fresh Grape Juice and Anthotyros
Moustokouloura cookies can be made either with fresh grape juice or grape molasses. They are perfect as a snack or for breakfast!
Chicken Tortellini Carbonara
This chicken tortellini is a Greek-style carbonara as we add cream and yoghurt to the sauce.
Turkey Ravioli with leftovers
These Turkey Ravioli are made with homemade phyllo, stuffed with leftover roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, cheese and other ingredients.
Tyropitari
Tyropitari pronounced Tee-rho-pee-TAH-ree, is a homemade Greek pastry filled with feta cheese and deep fried, which is served as an appetizer.
Tyropita with Kourou Phyllo
Tyropita Kourou is a cheese pie made with a type of phyllo made with butter and yoghurt, which I would describe somewhat like tart dough.
Flaounes (Cypriot Easter Cheese filled Bread)
Flaounes pr. flah-OU-ness (singular flaouna) is a traditional Cypriot Easter cheese bread made with an aromatic yeasted phyllo dough, filled with a special Cypriot cheese, called Pafitiko, made during the Easter period especially for flaounes, flavoured with Masticha (mastic resin), mahlepi (mahleb) and mint.
PIN FOR LATER
Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,
Jennie
Saturday 4th of June 2011
Love pasta. This recipe sounds amazing!!!!!!!
heni
Sunday 13th of December 2009
Thanks Ivy for having the pix up ... I had been wanting to see them from your old blog account! Love it!