Raviole Bolognesi

These are not ravioli. The name confuses outsiders, but in Bologna the word raviola means something entirely different: a crescent-shaped pastry filled with mostarda, the remarkable fruit preserve that carries the sting of mustard beneath its sweetness. The confusion is useful. It keeps tourists away.

The dough is pasta frolla, the short pastry that appears throughout Italian baking. It must be tender and crumbly, not tough. This requires cold butter, minimal handling, and the patience to rest the dough properly before rolling. Americans want to work dough until it is smooth. Italians know that overworked dough makes leather.

The mostarda is where these pastries reveal their character. True mostarda bolognese is not the famous candied fruits of Cremona floating in mustard syrup. Bologna's version is a dense, spreadable preserve, traditionally made from quince, that delivers its mustard bite subtly, almost as an afterthought. If you cannot find or make mostarda, these pastries lose their soul. Do not substitute jam. Make the mostarda or do not make the raviole.