Holy Ravioli: Falling in Amore With a Sweet Treat From Philadelphia's Termini Bros. Bakery

Picture, if you will, two of the greatest masterpieces of Italian cookery--the cannoli and the calzone.

Got it? Now, imagine that these two beauties get married and have a baby. An unholy, but wholly delicious, cheesy and carbohydratey baby.

It is with that vision that we introduce our newest obsession, the "Ravioli" pastry from Termini Bros. Bakery, a venerable institution of sweetness in Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market. In appearance it resembles an enormous half-moon ravioli, though its sheer size is more empanada or calzone-esque. But the physical resemblance to aforementioned savories is where the similarities end--once you take a bite, this baby is all sweetness. Its slightly sweet pastry casing encloses a hefty dose of decadent cannoli cream, rich, dense, and studded with chocolate chips.

And man, is it delicious. But eaters beware--this is a seriously substantive sweet, and is perhaps best enjoyed with a buddy. If you ate it all by yourself (and trust us, you probably will if no one is around) cardiac arrest might ensue--although really, there are far worse ways to go.

And til that moment, this is most certainly amore.

Are you in the Philadelphia area? Termini Bros. Bakery has a few locations (we went to the Reading Terminal Market one); visit termini.com for more information.

Wanna try making them? While we weren't able to locate a recipe for the "Ravioli" pastry per se, we're going to try to make our own by combining two recipes--one for cannoli cream filling found on cooks.com, and one for sweet empanada dough, found on laylita.com. We haven't done it yet but we'll let you know how it turns out.

Pastry Dough Ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• ¼- ½ cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 sticks butter or 16 tbs, cut into 16 pieces
• 2 eggs
• 2-4 tbs cold water

Preparation:

1. Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor.
2. Add the butter, eggs and water until a clumpy dough forms.
3. Knead the dough for a few minutes.
4. Form dough into 2 balls, flatten into thick discs, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
5. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas, use round molds or a small plate or cup as a mold, you can choose how large based on whether you want small or medium sized empanadas .
6. Use the empanada discs immediately or store in the refrigerator or freezer to use later.You should get about 15-18 medium sized empanada discs or 25-30 small empanada discs.

Cannoli Cream Filling

• 3 c. very dry ricotta
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• Chocolate chips

Drain ricotta in a colander until very dry, overnight or longer if necessary. Mix with sugar and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer at high speed for 8-10 minutes. Fold in some chocolate chips and use to fill cannoli or between cake layers. Fills about 15-18 cannoli.

Comments

[Kimberly]

Oh My! I wouldn't want to see the fat/caloires on that! Just close your eyes and enjoy!!!

Looks soooo yummy though! Drools!

[Peabody]

Wow, that looks good!

[Aran]

that is a perfectly shaped dome of italian goodness... yum!!

[Jamie Ferraioli]

That sounds and looks heavenly

[VeggieGirl]

That truly IS a masterpiece!!

[Ann]

Whoa... substantial is the word! Awesome spying mission!

[T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types]

Amazing!! You're just killing me though, with the temptation. I'm about to hop a train to Philadelphia right now!

[Lydia]

That looks amazing. Must add Philadelphia to my "to visit" list.

[tooshytostop]

Wow, I have never seen anything like that. Looks delicious! =)

[Jaimee]

Oh my, how could I have missed this? Being from the Philly area, my former boss had me in charge of ordering all the Holiday Cookie baskets...all being from Termini Bros., of course...although, I NEVER came across THESE beauties. I'm DEFINITELY going to have to partake in one SOON.

[moonrat]

damn. how is it i haven't been to philly?!

[Jessica Alfieri]

I'm in love with their old-school font. And feeling the need to make these... right now.

[the southern hostess]

Mmmm, the idea of a cannoli calzone make me so happy.

[Cakespy]

Kimberly: No, thinking about the calories would not be a wise decision here, I don't think. :-)

Peabody: It WAS! :-)

Aran: It was perfect--it wowed us!

Jamie: You are correct about that!

Veggiegirl: You said it!

Ann: Yeah, it was a serious hunk o' pastry. But so good.

TW: It's so close--well, relative to where I am!

Lydia: Philadelphia rules!! You've got to go there. I love it.

Tooshy: It was delicious!

Jaimee: Oh man, you've gotta try one of these! You won't regret it. I loved it.

Moonrat: You've got to go!

Jessica: Yea! We're gonna try to make our own, not that they'll taste as good as Termini's!

SoHo: Ha! Us too!!

[The Caked Crusader]

This was the wrong thing to read while waiting for my friend to arrive for lunch!
I am sooooooo hungry!

[Grace]

i know i wouldn't have any trouble downing one of those by myself. perhaps it's a good thing i don't live in philadelphia...well, good for my heart, but sad for my taste buds. :)

[Jeanna]

Pure evil. I bet it gives that 2600 calorie Baskin-Robbins shake a run for its money.

[Milwaukee Cupcake Queen]

I would like to lay my head on this pillow of sweetness and doze into my happy la-la sugar coma.

[Deborah]

Wow - that sounds amazing!

[EB]

So there's a hall of fame for the inventors of this thing right?

[Obsessive Foodie or Food Addic]

Just when you think it can't get any better......ahhhhhhhhh

[Proud Italian Cook]

Thats a beautiful thing!!!

[glamah16]

I have died and gone to heaven.

[Y]

Oh. My.

[Joanna]

This is perfection all wrapped up so pretty and ready for me to gulp down!!