You Are the Ravi-only One for Me – 6 Places for Perfect Pasta

Holy ravioili…did you know that Wednesday, March 20 is National Ravioli Day?

This fun-filled versatile pasta, also known as pregnant stamps, consists of two layers of thin egg pasta dough, stuffed with various ingredients from cheese and meat to vegetables and seasonings. Ravioli is usually served in either a broth or with a pasta sauce.

Here are six of our favourite joints to celebrate with a bowl of ravioli on Wednesday:

Dine on delicious wood-fired pizza and traditional pasta dishes at Amici Italian restaurant on Elizabeth Street in North Hobart. Nestled in a quaint corner building among terraced homes, expect a warm Tasmanian welcome and cosy vibe indoors; when weather permits, take to the alfresco area and enjoy a drink with friends and family while perusing a menu offering delicious gourmet pizza and pasta choices.

 

Perhaps opt for ravioli with housemade traditional Bolognese sauce, or spinach and ricotta with garlic, capsicum, basil and mascarpone cheese in a Napolitana sauce; best enjoyed with a glass of Frogmore Creek Iced Riesling.

Staying true to tradition and offering a refined culinary experience, Sydneysiders head to Figo Restaurant & Bar on Bayswater Road in Rushcutters Bay for relaxed dining in the heart of the city. This boutique restaurant, cocktail and wine bar oozes rustic charm with exposed concrete, dark wooden table settings, plush velvet booths and walls adorned with wine racks; settle in for a romantic rendezvous with someone special, or catch up with family and friends. 

 

Pair a glass of red wine with ravioli cacio e pepe – handmade ravioli del plin filled with pecorino cheese and pepper mousse, served with broad beans, crispy guanciale and pecorino romano cheese fondue.

Pasta and wine are always a great idea at Osteria Morelli on Ballina Street in Lennox Heads. Expect to sample dishes showcasing Northern Rivers produce using Italian techniques and principles at this restaurant, where whitewashed and exposed brick, metal pendents and spice-coloured walls invite lingering over memorable meals with family and friends, or a romantic rendezvous.

 

An ever-evolving menu offers gourmet pasta plates such as beetroot and ricotta ravioli, butter, garlic and market herbs, or cavatelli with local Arrow squid ragu and parsley; finish with a divine dolci of pistachio or chocolate cannoli.

Find a little slice of Italy without leaving Rosebud West at Unica Cucina e Caffe on Point Nepean Road. This traditional Italian ristorante and trattoria twinkles with fairy lights alfresco at night while green, white and red coloured pillars mark the way down the path to the front door; indoors is warm and welcoming with polished timber floors and table settings, trailing greenery and Italian accents setting the scene for memorable dining.

From a menu showcasing Calabrian fare, embark on your culinary adventure with fried calamari on a bed of mixed salad, or arancini with traditional ragu; before Chef’s ravioli Napoli, filled with spinach and ricotta, bathed in sugo and topped with Grana Padano.

Find the flavours of Sicily and traditional Italian fare on the menu at 3 Sicilians @ Club Stockton on Douglas Street in Stockton. Experience the authentic taste of wood-fired pizza baked to crispy, bubbly perfection with a glass of red in hand, as you relax in stylish surrounds of trailing greenery, dark wood table settings, tiles and in pride of place, the pizza oven.

 

Say ciao to starters like garlic prawns, basil, sugo and sourdough, then delve into ricotta and spinach ravioli with tomato sugo and Parmesan, or fettuccine with Tiger prawns, garlic, mushrooms and green peppercorns in white wine and cream sauce.

Gold Coast foodies know where to find authentic wood-fired pizza and Italian dishes just like Nonna makes – they head to Matteo’s Woodfired Pizza on Santa Cruz Boulevard in Clear Island Waters. This cosy hidden gem offers a covered verandah for escaping the tropical heat along with an ice-cold glass of wine, or head indoors where a monochromatic vibe of black and white tiles, a well-stocked bar and tantalising aromas wafting from the imported pizza oven await.

 

Expect pasta temptations such as ravioli neri al granchio – squid ink ravioli, filled with crab meat, cooked with cherry tomatoes, seafood stock and parsley; or pumpkin-filled ravioli, swimming in butter and sage sauce.