Ravioles (Cypriot Cheese-Filled Pasta)

2019, Kapedes. At Aunt Pepa’s house. Since I was a child, I admired her cooking skills, her food and sweets were more than just delicious. I can still remember her creamy desserts and fragrant cakes. I tell her this often, and she smiles at me the same way she did when I was little. But how life turns out, here I am now, sitting at her kitchen table with my notebook open, ready to learn how she makes her famous, wonderfully aromatic ravioles.

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 2 ½ cup (375 g) village-style flour
• ½ cup (95 g) fine semolina
• 1 tsp (8 g) salt
• 1 cup (250 ml) lukewarm water

For the Filling

• 2 cup (200 g) halloumi, preferably mature, finely grated
• 1 cup (165 g) fresh unsalted anari cheese, crumbled
• ⅓ cup (12 g) fresh mint, finely chopped, or 1 tablespoon (3 g) dried mint
• 2 medium eggs

For Boiling

• 3 L Water
• 2 Vegetable stock cubes
• 1 tsp (8 g) salt

For Serving

• Grated Halloumi cheese

Method

1. To prepare the dough: In a bowl or a stand mixer, combine the flour, semolina, and salt. Gradually add the water while mixing until a soft and elastic dough forms. Shape it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
2. For the filling: In a bowl, mix the halloumi, anari, mint, and eggs until well combined. Divide the dough into three equal parts. Dust your work surface lightly with flour, place one piece of dough, sprinkle again with a little flour, and roll it out into a large, thin sheet about 2 mm thick. You can also use a pasta machine, mine starts from setting 1 (the thickest) to 7 (the thinnest). I usually roll it to 5 or 6. Using a teaspoon, place small portions of filling along the sheet, leaving 3–4 cm between each. Fold the sheet over to cover the filling. Cut the ravioles with a round cutter (5 cm diameter) or a small wine glass. To make cutting easier, dip the cutter in flour before each use. Press down to seal and shape evenly. Place the ravioles on a tray lined with a towel and sprinkled with flour. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
3. To cook: Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the stock cubes and salt. Once boiling, add a batch of ravioles and cook until they rise to the surface, about 4–5 minutes.
4. Serve hot with plenty of grated halloumi. You can also sprinkle a little dried mint on top if you like. If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge with a bit of their broth to keep them moist. Uncooked ravioles can also be frozen: place them on a tray in the freezer until firm, then transfer them to an airtight bag. When ready to cook, add them directly from frozen into hot broth.

💡Tips & Notes

NOTES FROM CYPRUS GASTRONOMY Ravioles were traditionally made during Cheese Week (Tyrini Week). In some regions, they used only fresh unsalted anari cheese. The ravioles, derived from the Italian ravioli, are part of the cultural heritage left by the Venetians on our island. Some housewives, like Mrs. Androula Kefala, add a bit of fine semolina to the dough, it makes the dough easier to roll out and gives it a better flavor when cooked. It’s a secret I’ve adopted myself.