Mama Mia Ravioli Bites

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I stole this recipe for Mama Mia Ravioli Bites from a website called pillsbury.com. This appetizer is very similar to an Italian dish called Easter Pie. The original recipe has similar ingredients baked in a pie crust. These bites are made with crescent dough instead. Crescent roll dough is cut and formed into mini muffin pans. Ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses are mixed with basil, diced salami and sun-dried tomatoes to make up the filling. The ravioli bites finish by baking in the oven.

Did you know? Ricotta is made from the whey of cheeses such as mozzarella, provolone and Swiss. Literally translated, ricotta means “twice cooked.” This is because it is made by cooking the whey from a previously cooked cheese.² (see more trivia in the Trivia tab)

Heat oven to 375° F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick spray. On work surface, unroll 1 dough sheet from 2 cans (8 oz each) of crescent roll dough, cut into 24 (2 inch) squares.

Place 1 dough in bottom and up side of each 24 muffin cups, letting points of dough extend over edge of cup.

In medium bowl, add 1 container (15 oz) whole-milk ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp finely chopped basil leaves, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp salt, 1 egg, ½ cup thinly sliced and finely chopped salami and 1 ½ oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, finely chopped.

Mix until well combined.

Spoon about 1 tbsp cheese mixture into each cup.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pans 3 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack.

Serve warm.

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Mama Mia Ravioli Bites

This appetizer is very similar to an Italian dish called Easter Pie. The original recipe has similar ingredients baked in a pie crust. These bites are made with crescent dough instead. Crescent roll dough is cut and formed into mini muffin pans. Ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses are mixed with basil, diced salami and sun-dried tomatoes to make up the filling. The ravioli bites finish by baking in the oven.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling Time 3 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 48 pieces

Ingredients

  • 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet
  • 1 container (15 oz) whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 4 oz
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped basil leaves
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 ½ oz thinly sliced salami finely chopped (½ cup)
  • 1 ½ oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained, finely chopped (¼ cup)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375° F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick spray.
  2. On work surface, unroll 1 dough sheet, cut into 24 (2 inch) squares. Place 1 dough in bottom and up side of each 24 muffin cups, letting points of dough extend over edge of cup.
  3. In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Spoon about 1 tbsp cheese mixture into each cup.
  4. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pans 3 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough and filling, cooling pans between batches. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes

I buy a regular can of crescent rolls. Unroll the dough and pinch together the seams and press the seams flat. Then cut into 24 pieces. I can only purchase the seamless dough sheets around the holidays; otherwise my grocery store does not carry them. You can easily cut this recipe in half to make only 24 mini appetizers. To cut the egg in half: whisk the egg in a bowl and measure out 1 ½ tbsp to get ½ of an egg.