This is part three of Katie Moulton's Chef's Choice profile of Anthony Scarato of Anthonino's Taverna. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Scarato, is published here.
Anthony Scarato's family and its Greek and Italian heritage are the foundations of his current culinary career, so for the final portion of this Chef's Choice edition, the owner of Anthonino's Taverna (2225 Macklind Avenue; 314-773-4455) assembled a cornerstone of Italian cooking: the restaurant's signature ravioli.
"We try to do as much in-house as possible," Scarato says. "That way we can put our own touches on the food. This recipe is my Nana's, and what sets these ravioli apart is that they are large, and handmade."
Though Anthonino's menu lists four different ravioli dishes, Scarato kept it basic by leaving the final flavoring to the home cook, recommending the dish be served with one's favorite marinara, pesto or alfredo sauce.
Ravioli
Dough: 3 cups flour 3 eggs 1 tablespoon oil 2 teaspoons salt water
Place flour in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add eggs, oil and salt. Add water a little at a time to make a soft dough. Place onto a floured board and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Cover dough and let rest 20 minutes.
Filling: 3/4 pound ground beef 1/4 pound ground veal 3/4 pound ricotta cheese 3 eggs 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon salt pepper
Mix filling together in a bowl.
To assemble: Divide dough into 5 pieces and roll into a very thin rectangle. Cut the dough into 3-by-10-inch strips. Place a teaspoon of the filling about every 2 inches on the dough.
Cover with another strip and cut out with a ravioli cutter (or cut with a knife and press with a fork).
Place ravioli on a floured board and cover until ready to cook.
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add ravioli and cook until tender. Drain and rinse.
Serve with your favorite sauce and top with shaved or grated Parmesan cheese.
