Barbagiuai – Fried ravioli with pumpkin and cheese
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But how much do we Ligurians love to fry!
The fritto misto, the stecchi, the frisceu, the cuculli, the focaccette and even these barbagiuai, which not many people know… well, then let’s say with our recipe that now is the right time to make them!
Barbagiuai are fried ravioli, the filling of which consists of cooked pumpkin, cheese, garlic and marjoram. They are a typical recipe from western Liguria, and more precisely from Val Nervia, in the Imperia region. They are a perfect appetiser for an autumn menu. As cheese for the recipe a la modo21 we have chosen one of the most typical Ligurian cheeses, prescinseua, which with its sour flavour goes well with the sweetness of the pumpkin. If you are curious to try it, you can buy prescinseua here.
In some versions of barbagiuai, boiled rice is added in addition to pumpkin and cheese. Another filling found in local recipes is chard instead of pumpkin. The cheese used is the most varied. It certainly has to be strong-tasting, so no cottage cheese, as is the case in many recipes. Something tasty is preferable, such as brussu (typical of the area), prescinseua because it is acidulous, pecorino because it is savoury and aromatic, and well-aged Parmesan because it goes well with everything.
Legend has it that the name barbagiuai is a tribute to the inventor of these ravioli. A fictitious Uncle Giovanni, since in Ligurian dialect uncle is called ‘barba’. And do you know how to say aunt instead? ‘Lalla’ or ‘amia’ (older term).
Pumpkin is an ingredient frequently found in Ligurian cuisine, such as the most famous pumpkin pie (torta salata!). On the heights of Genoa, in the village of Murta, one of the most important pumpkin festivals in the country is held every November. The festival is organised as part of the village celebrations of St Martin’s Day.
Barbagiuai – Fried ravioli with pumpkin and cheese
INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING BARBAGIUAI
Ingredienti per la sfoglia di 15 ravioli
Ingredients for the filling
For frying
HOW TO MAKE BARBAGIUAI
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Prepare the dough and filling for the Barbagiuai
To prepare the dough for our ravioli, we knead together the flour, salt and water. After kneading it for a few minutes the dough should be quite firm, at which point we can wrap it in cling film and leave it to rest for an hour in a cool place.
In the meantime we cut the pumpkin into slices, which we bake for half an hour in the oven at 180/200°C. Let it cool a little. After cooking, the pumpkin flesh is easily removed from the skin and, even without blending, we mix together all the ingredients for the filling. At the end we adjust the salt.
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We roll out the dough and close our ravioli
After resting for an hour, the dough has become smooth and soft, easy to work. On a lightly floured surface, we divide our dough in two and start rolling it out with a rolling pin until it is a few millimetres thick. The sheet should not be transparent but not too thick either.
With the help of teaspoons, we add the filling, making many mounds well spaced out. Lightly moisten the edges of the dough. We fold the pasta sheet over the side to cover the filling and press down with our fingers to seal the ravioli. Then cut the ravioli with a pastry cutter. Repeat the same process with the second part of the dough.
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Let's fry
Take a frying pan suitable for frying and bring the peanut oil to temperature. To prevent the barbagiuai from sticking to each other in the meantime, keep them on a well-floured tray. When the oil is hot, immerse the barbagiuai (a few at a time) and turn them a few times.
They will be ready after a few minutes, when they are golden brown on both sides. Drain and dry them well from the oil with paper towels. Serve the barbagiuai immediately, as they taste best freshly made, but you can also enjoy them reheated in the oven.
