Iron Mountain Mom's Italian Ravioli

Iron Mountain Mom's Italian Ravioli

In the early and cold part of 1991, an old-school Italian mom, used to making meals for dozens at a time, shared this story and recipe.  She and her husband had raised their children in an old mining neighborhood in Iron Mountain, Michigan.  The houses are still there, nestled up along the hillside overlooking the now defunct iron mine on Highway 2.  Her yard rested next to the railroad, and the children just had to learn to move out of the way when the train rolled through!  Families grew their own grapes and made their own wine.  It was not uncommon for a family to own a cow and a few chickens.  Some of the grape vines and old cow sheds (converted into one-car garages) are there today.  - Submitted by a friend of Mary's Missionaries

This recipe feeds a large family.  Some ingredients and directions were less exact than others.

Italian Ravioli

Ingredients for FILLING:

1 pound (about .5 kg) mozzarella cheese
1 pound (about .5 kg) brick cheese
4 ounces (about .10 kg) Parmesan cheese
1/2 stick (probably about 4 ounces or .10 kg) cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1 pound (about .5 kg) Ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon (15 g) black pepper
4 cloves garlic
Dried flaked, or fresh chopped, parsley, about a handful or two

Directions for Filling:

Mix together and form into one-inch balls.

Ingredients for DOUGH:

5 pounds (2.25 kg) flour
About 15 eggs
Water, if needed

Make into dough.  Let rest 1/2 hour.  Roll to 1/8-inch (about 1/3 cm) thickness.

Directions to put together raviolis:

Cut dough into squares of about 3-inches or less.  Make raviolis as you would make a sandwich:  Bottom layer of dough, a spoonful of filling, and a top layer of dough.  Press together sides to seal in the ingredients.  Drop into boiling water (a slow boil) for about 12 minutes.  When finished, remove from water, place in bowl or on plate, and serve as desired (spaghetti sauce was the favorite).  Side note:  The raviolis may be frozen raw or already cooked.