At least two restaurants in the Italian section of St. Louis, Missouri, laid claim to creating this specialty appetizer, both by accident. As the stories go, one inadvertently dropped ravioli in a deep fryer. Another claimed he thought a pot of hot oil was pasta water. Regardless which restaurant "On the Hill" actually created them, thank you.
This simple appetizer evolved and is now breaded ravioli fried crispy in oil, sprinkled with parmigiana cheese while still hot, and dipped in marinara sauce prior to eating.
There are many subtle variations to this simple appetizer. Generally, ravioli are first moistened with dairy (milk, cream, or buttermilk), eggs, or combination, then coated with seasoned bread crumbs. They are toasted or fried in oll between 325 and 375 degrees. The type of ravioli also differs. Some use traditional cheese while others use meat of exotic mixtures; traditional cheese for me please!
I use the same breading technique as with eggplant and chicken or veal cutlets. Dry, dust in flour, dip in egg mixture and roll in seasoned bread crumbs. If good enough for Lucia, it's good enough for me. Note: flour helps the coating adhere.