There is nothing tough about starting an argument on the Hill. You wanna talk about politics? Sports? The weather? The Italian neighborhood in southwest St. Louis is fertile ground for passionate debate.

Few subjects, however, will bring about as much dispute as trying to figure out the birthplace of that trademark St. Louis dish — toasted ravioli, or the "t-rav" in the parlance of our times.

To be sure, raviolis have been around for centuries. Stuffed with meat, cheese, herbs and spices, the pasta shells would then be boiled and served with a red sauce, meat or marinara. But the fried version, at least in the U.S., is a St. Louis original.

While the origins are unclear, a few things are agreed upon:

• The dish emerged at a restaurant owned by Angelo Oldani.
• It was the result of a mistake made by a non-Italian cook.

The most prevalent story is that the dish emerged in the late 1940s at what is now Charlie Gitto's on the Hill, 5226 Shaw Avenue. Back then, it was known as Angelo's (Oldani) Pasta House.

Charlie Gitto's general manager Derek Andrasko said a waiter told a cook to "drop some raviolis" for an order. The cook dropped the pasta squares into hot oil instead of boiling water. When the mistake was discovered, the cook plated the raviolis for the kitchen help to eat. Everyone loved the little "fried pillows, " and the dish was served first as bar food and then added to the main menu.

Others maintain the dish came about, in a similar erroneous fashion, around 1940 at Oldani's, located at Macklind and Edwards avenues, now the site of Mama Campisi's. (Angelo Oldani owned this eatery before moving to the Charlie Gitto's site). They claim Oldani took the dish with him to his new location.

While the true origin of the dish has been lost in the fog of time, the popularity of the little squares can't be denied.

Steve Komorek, executive chef at Trattoria Marcella, an Italian restaurant just off the Hill, said he added the dish to his menu about two years ago — after going 11 years without it.

"But it seemed like every single person who came in from out of town couldn't believe we didn't have toasted raviolis," Komorek said. "It was like something they looked forward to when they came here."

Andrasko noted that, unlike Buffalo's hot chicken wings, the dish has not developed a national following. "People can't wait to get to St. Louis to have some. But I've known of restaurants in other cities that put them on their menu, and they failed."

These days, many of the toasted raviolis served in restaurants are mass-produced, frozen squares, something that rankles Angelo Lombardo.

"We make ours right here, " he said while sitting at his eponymous north St. Louis County restaurant. "It's not a real toasted ravioli unless it's handmade."

And on that point — even on the Hill — you won't get much of an argument.

---

AND NOW, THE TASTE TEST ...

With all due respect to barbecued pork steaks and gooey butter cake, the toasted ravioli may be the quintessential St. Louis food.

So our crack team of journalists — Go! creative director Gabe Hartwig and photographer Emily Rasinski (a native Ohioan who had never eaten a t-rav) and yours truly — set out on the noble quest to find our town's absolute best version of this famous dish.

We saw no need to munch on any of those frozen, mass-produced chunks of pasta and meat that are served in way too many eateries. So we came up with a Mount Rushmore of Ravioli — four restaurants known for their excellent homemade renditions of the appetizer.

We judged the appetizer on its three main components: the pasta shell, the filling and the dipping sauce and/or toppings.

There were no losers is this endeavor, except our waistlines. But we would happily return to any of these places for another plateful.

---

Our favorite: Trattoria Marcella

3600 Watson Road - $9.25

The outside • Emily: "The shell was thick but crispy all the way through."

The inside • Joe: "The blend of beef, veal, pork, spinach, onions and carrots (yes, carrots) has a rich, hearty flavor. This stuff is so good, I'd eat it on a Saltine."

The sauce • Gabe: "The sauce was so thick and chunky I wasn't sure if it was meat sauce or just plain red sauce. I sopped up the remaining sauce on my plate with a roll. It was that good."

The bottom line • Joe: "Big, tasty and - in a close race - the best of the bunch."

---

Charlie Gitto's on the Hill

5226 Shaw Avenue - $9

The outside • Gabe: "They were delightfully tiny (about 1-inch square) and they had no pressed edges. The pillow-like shells were crispy and not too thick."

The inside • Emily: "Each piece was stuffed full of meat. The combination of meats, cheese and spinach was delicious."

The sauce • Joe: "The fresh grated Parmesan cheese was applied liberally all over the raviolis. And that's a good thing."

The bottom line • Joe: "The most traditional of the great t-ravs — perfectly made."

---

Lombardo's

10488 Natural Bridge Road - $7.75

The outside • Joe: "The pasta shell was a bit thicker here, with a slight chewiness after the initial crispy skin."

The inside • Gabe: "The inside was a flavorful, juicy blend of beef, cheese and spinach. Its consistency was a bit looser than the other places, but it was delicious."

The sauce • Emily: "The marinara sauce was good. I really liked the hand-grated Romano cheese that was offered."

The bottom line • Emily: "I'm new to St. Louis, and this was the first toasted ravioli I had ever tasted. It set the bar quite high."

---

Honorable mention: Gentelin's

122 East Broadway, Alton - $7

The shell • Joe: "A wonton shell is used, allowing these to be much crispier than the others. Very non-traditional, very, very good."

The filling • Gabe: "No meat, but an amazing blend of shiitake mushrooms (which lent a meaty quality), spinach and Boursin cheese."

The sauce • Joe: "The least interesting of the four sauces, but the dish doesn't really need it."

The bottom line • Emily: "Great vegetarian alternative to the traditional toasted ravioli. Unique, with its own personality."