National Ravioli Day is a holiday celebrated annually on March 20th. It was created to celebrate and encourage people to enjoy one of the most delightful pasta forms available: ravioli. Ravioli is a pasta that can be served in various interesting ways and can be used as a main course or as a side dish. It can be baked or deep-fried and is readily available in the freezer sections of most grocery stores, making it a food that everyone can celebrate on this holiday.

The History of Ravioli

Before we can discover when ravioli was first invented, we must define what makes it a unique pasta. Ravioli is a pasta that features a filling surrounded by thin pasta dough. It doesn’t matter how it’s cooked—ravioli can be baked, fried, deep-fried, or boiled—but it does matter that it’s a dough-covered filling of some sort.

Now that we’ve defined ravioli, let’s talk about its first appearance in history books. It seems that the first mention of ravioli can be traced back to the 14th century in the personal letters of an Italian merchant named Francesco Datini. It also appeared in the “Libro per Cuoco,” a medieval cookbook created in the mid-14th century.

Of course, some culinary historians believe that it originated before the 14th century, as it was already a food consumed in other parts of Europe and the world at that time. It was eaten in England and several other countries. At this time, no one knows who invented National Ravioli Day.

Facts About Ravioli

Now that we’ve explored the history of the humble ravioli, it’s time to offer up some facts about this stuffed pasta that readers might not know. This interesting food with a rich history is also enjoyed by many different cultures around the world. Let’s talk about some of the more interesting facts about this pasta.

• Toasted Ravioli can be traced to an Italian neighborhood in St. Louis known as “The Hill.”
• The first canned ravioli was distributed to the Italian Army during World War I.
• Canned ravioli in the U.S. was popularized in the 1930s by Chef Boyardee.
• In India, there’s a dish similar to ravioli called Gujiya.

Observing National Ravioli Day

Observing National Ravioli Day is as easy as making your favorite ravioli for your friends and family. It can be a traditional boiled ravioli with a pour-over sauce, a toasted ravioli served with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a dipping sauce, or Ravioli Nudi—a dish made with only the filling and not the pasta shell. No matter how you enjoy it, be sure to spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #NationalRavioliDay and let everyone else know how you’re celebrating.