Definition

Noun: 1. A type of pasta consisting of small, sealed pockets of dough (typically square or circular) filled with a savory mixture, such as cheese, meat, or vegetables, and usually served with a sauce.

Usage

• Ravioli is treated as a mass noun (like "pasta" or "rice") when referring to the food in general. It can also be used as a count noun when referring to individual pieces.
• It is commonly boiled and served with sauces like marinara, Alfredo, or a brown butter sage sauce.

Examples

• "For dinner, we had ravioli with a rich tomato and basil sauce."
• "The chef makes the ravioli by hand, filling each one with ricotta and spinach."
• "This package contains forty pieces of cheese ravioli."

Advanced Usage

• Conceptual Use: The term can be used to describe the shape or concept beyond the specific Italian dish.
  • Example: "The appetizer was a kind of Asian ravioli, a wonton wrapper filled with spiced pork."

Variants and Related Words

• Tortellini: A related pasta shape, typically smaller and ring-shaped.
• Agnolotti: Another stuffed pasta, often rectangular or semicircular.
• Stuffed Pasta: The general category to which ravioli belongs.

Synonyms

• Filled pasta
• Pasta pockets

Related Phrases & Idioms

(This word does not commonly appear in English phrasal verbs or idioms. Its usage is almost exclusively culinary.)

Noun

1. small circular or square cases of dough with savory fillings