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Mrs. Denise’s American Raviolas

First Prize

A nice way to use up scraps of meat is to make raviolas.  Put scraps of meat through meat chopper.  Add one or two eggs according to amount, about one-half cup of cooked Swiss chard, one heaping teaspoon chili powder dissolved in a little cold water, pepper and salt to taste.  Have filling just moist enough to spread nicely.  Make the dough by adding to two cups of flour one teaspoon salt, two eggs and about one-quarter cup of cold water or enough to make a stiff dough.  Knead until smooth, then divide in two portions.  Roll first portion very thin, then spread with filling.  Lay the other half, rolled thin, over this then mark into small squares and cut with knife or raviola cutter, pressing down edges firmly.  Another way which makes the dough go father is to cut dough into small round about one and half inches in diameter, place a small portion of filling on this, and turn over, pressing edges down firmly.  Boil in plenty of salted water for twenty or thirty minutes, drain and pour over a rich tomato sauce.  This sauce is made by boiling a quart of tomatoes, several small chili peppers, a small onion, cut up, and a little garlic, if liked, for an hour or more.  Then strain and thicken with a heaping tablespoon cornstarch and add a piece of butter of oil.  Pour over raviolas and serve.

Mrs. Louis H. Denise, Healdsburg.  Source: San Francisco Chronicle – 20 Apr 1919

Mrs. Nolan’s Raviolas Italian

Gravy – Lean meat, 1 lb; 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup dried mushrooms, large tablespoon tomato conserve, tablespoon each of garlic, parsa, rosemary, parsley, spices, dash pepper and salt to taste.  Have oil hot in frying pan, brown the meat, add chopped onions, garlic and rosemary, stirring often to prevent burning.  Have ready conserve dissolved in hot water (1 cup), add to meat; chop mushrooms, which have been soaked in cup hot water, add to meat, also water in which mushrooms were soaked, a shake of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, mace and black pepper, salt to taste.  Boil raviolas in salted boiling water until tender, skim into colander and drain a minute, then alternate on platter layer of gravy, cheese and raviolas, having cheese and gravy last.  A few olives improve gravy.

To make raviola crust:  Take 2 eggs, 1 quart water, 1 tablespoon salt, mix in as much flour as possible and knead until elastic.  Roll out thinly and evenly as possible, spread on filling – on half – roll over other half and cut with raviola cutter.  Filling: One quart boiled spinach, chopped, 1 cup bread crumbs, 1 cup grated cheese, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, tablespoon minced garlic, teaspoon chopped parsa, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 cup cream or milk, 6 or 8 eggs, less when scarce; little nutmeg, salt to taste; mix thoroughly.

Mrs. J. E. Nolan, Jamestown.  Source: San Francisco Chronicle – 20 Apr 1919.

Ms. Lux’s Italian Ravioli

Filling – Take 1/2 pound Parmesan cheese, grate and put in mixing bowl; then add 5 eggs and mix with cheese; have ready in frying pan 1 good-sized onion, some parsley, a little garlic, chopped very fine and fried to a golden brown in hot olive oil and add; also add about 15 cents worth of brains or sausage meat; then 1 cup spinach that has been boiled and chopped very fine; add pepper, salt and a little ground cloves and allspice to suit taste; mix all thoroughly and set aside.

Dough – Sift a quart of flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt, drop in 3 eggs and about a cup water, a little at a time; knead this dough for about 1/2 hour until it becomes firm; divide into 4 equal parts; roll one pieced out very thin and spread with the filling; roll out second piece likewise thin and put over the filling; mark into squares of about 1 1/2 inches and cut with a little wheel that comes purposely for cutting the ravioli; separate and set aside until wanted.

Gravy – Gent about 60 cents worth of round steak and fry in hot olive oil with a chopped onion, parsley, a little garlic and a small piece of celery chopped very fine; strain into this 1 quart hot tomatoes and add about 1/2 cup dried mushrooms that have been soaking for 15 minutes in a cup of water; a little of this water may be added to the gray; allow this gravy to simmer slowly for 2 hours; season to taste with salt and pepper; about 25 minutes before serving put the ravioli in boiling salted water; boil about 20 minutes and drain; have ready a platter, sprinkled with grated cheese; put some gravy over this; then a layer of ravioli and follow with cheese, gravy, etc., until dish is full, with gravy on top.  Serve at once.

Lily Lux, 2420 Union street.  Source: San Francisco Chronicle – 20 Apr 1919

Mrs. Haggard’s Sweet Ravioli

Recite from Sunny Italy

Take one-half pound of flour, one tablespoon of butter, two tablespoons of shortening and work into a paste and roll out thin.  To one-half pound of curds and one egg and yolk of a second egg, two tablespoons of granulated sugar, a few drops of extract of vanilla and mix well together; add to the paste.  Then fry in deep fat until a golden brown.  Serve with powdered sugar.  Serve as a dessert.  Mrs. Stella Haggard, Occidental.  Source: San Francisco Chronicle – 14 Sep 1919.