Mezzelune
Also known as: mezzaluna pasta, half-moon ravioli, mezzelune ripiene
Italian half-moon filled pasta: discs of egg pasta 5–7 cm across folded over a filling of ricotta, greens, mushrooms or pumpkin.
Mezzelune are an Italian filled pasta shaped like a half-moon: a disc of thin egg pasta is folded in half over the filling and the edge sealed. The name means "half-moons" (from mezza luna); a single piece is a mezzaluna. They belong to the filled pasta group.
The usual disc is 5–7 cm across, with a straight, fluted or decoratively pinched edge. It is more a general shape than one regional dish: half-moons are made all over Italy, and the mountain areas of the north have their own local kinds, such as casunziei from the Dolomites and Tyrolean Schlutzkrapfen.
The dough is wheat flour and egg, rolled thin, and the discs are cut with a glass or a cutter. Fillings vary widely: ricotta and spinach, mushrooms, pumpkin, potato and cheese, fish or meat. Folding a half-moon is easier than making square two-layer ravioli, which is why the shape is popular in home cooking.
Fresh mezzelune cook in 3–5 minutes, until they float. They are most often served with melted butter, sage and parmesan, with a light tomato sauce, or with cream and mushrooms.
When buying, check the filling ingredients and the edge, which should be tightly sealed and free of cracks. Fresh pasta keeps a few days in the fridge; raw mezzelune can be frozen in a single layer and cooked from frozen.
Facts
| Raw material | Wheat flour, eggs; filling of ricotta, greens, mushrooms or pumpkin |
|---|---|
| Region | Italy, especially the north |
| Duration | Fresh 3–5 min |
| Main use | Butter and sage, tomato sauce, cream and mushrooms |
What it includes
How it connects to Pasta
Mezzelune → related → 🧀 Parmesan ← related ← 🍝 Pasta
Links
- What it contains
- Wheat flour, 🥚 Chicken egg
- Part of
- Filled pasta
- Similar and different
- Ravioli, Casunziei, Schlutzkrapfen
- In other topics
- 🧀 Ricotta, 🧈 Butter, 🧀 Parmesan
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mezzelune and ravioli?
Mezzelune are made from one disc folded in half, so they are half-moon shaped. Classic ravioli are square pillows of two layers of dough, although half-moons are often called ravioli too.
How long do you cook mezzelune?
Fresh ones take 3–5 minutes in salted water, until they float; frozen ones need 1–2 minutes more.
What fillings are used for mezzelune?
Most often ricotta and spinach, but also mushrooms, pumpkin, potato and cheese, fish or meat.
Similar
Casunziei · Schlutzkrapfen · Casoncelli · Pansotti · Agnolotti · Tortelli
Sources
- Treccani — Vocabolario: mezzaluna
- DPR 9 febbraio 2001, n. 187 — sfarinati e paste alimentari (Normattiva)
- International Pasta Organisation