Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs
Date: 2009-01-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: France, designation of origin, pasta, product designation

8.1.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 3/17

OTHER ACTS

COMMISSION

Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on
the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and
foodstuffs

(2009/C 3/08)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation
(EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date
of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘RAVIOLE DU DAUPHINÉ’

EC No: FR-PGI-0005-0583-28.12.2006

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Name

‘Raviole du Dauphiné’

2. Member State or third country

France

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 2.7 — Pasta

3.2. Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

Raviole du Dauphiné are a regional speciality that come in the form of small thin squares of pasta with a
soft wheat flour base, stuffed with fromage frais, hard pressed cheese (Comté PDO and/or Emmental
français Est-Central PGI) and parsley browned in butter.

Raviole du Dauphiné are made by kneading the dough, mixing the stuffing and filling the dough with
the stuffing. Two sheets of dough (one for the top and one for the bottom) are rolled out thin and
joined together before being filled with the stuffing. The process is very quick and is followed by
placing the dough into a mould to give it the distinct shape of ravioles.

(1) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.

C 3/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

8.1.2009

This speciality is composed of:

— a maximum of 55 % very thin, soft wheat flour-based dough (around 0,7 mm) with a very low ash

content (wheat germ), water, fresh eggs and vegetable oil,

— stuffing (at least 45 %) made of Comté cheese PDO and/or Emmental français Est-Central PGI, fresh

fromage blanc made with cow's milk, parsley, fresh eggs, salt and butter.

Raviole du Dauphiné come fresh (packed in a controlled atmosphere or unpacked) or frozen.

Raviole du Dauphiné are sold in sheets of 48 precut pieces (6 × 8) when fresh (packed in a controlled
environment or unpacked) and in separate pieces when frozen.

Each sheet weighs between 60 and 65 grams, which is the equivalent of between 1 and 1,5 grams
per square.

The organoleptic characteristics of Raviole du Dauphiné are: succulent, thin pasta and soft, creamy
stuffing, characterised by a balance between the flavour of the parsley and the cheeses.

3.3. Raw ingredients

Raviole du Dauphiné does not contain artificial colouring or preservatives or any products to add texture
such as breadcrumbs, starch or potato flakes, and is not subjected to heat treatment other than possible
deep-freezing.

Pasta ingredients

Flour

The flour used has the following characteristics:

— a grain size below 200 microns,

— an ash content, for the dry product, below 0,50 (flour ≤ type 45),

— a humidity of 13-16 %,

— a protein content, for the dry product, of 9-12 %,

— free of chemical additives.

Fresh eggs

Other ingredients:

— vegetable oils (except margarine and ground nut oil),

— water,

— salt (optional).

Stuffi ng ingredients

Fromage frais made from cow's milk, drained and pasteurised:

— a minimum fat content of 30 %, for the dry product (or a fat/total weight percentage of at

least 8,5 %),

— quantity as a proportion of the stuffing: at least 30 %.

Hard pressed cheese

The only types of cheese that can be used to make the stuffing (for taste and traditional reasons) are:

Comté PDO and/or Emmental français Est-Central PGI.

Quantity as a proportion of the stuffing: at least 40 %.

Parsley

Parsley can be either fresh or frozen, constituting at least 4 % of the stuffing. Freeze-dried parsley
cannot be used. The parsley is browned in butter.

8.1.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 3/19

Other ingredients:

— fresh eggs,

— fresh butter,

— cooking salt,

— permitted spices: pepper (pepper that has not been treated with ionising radiation).

The fresh eggs and fromage frais come from the geographical area in which the Raviole du Dauphiné is
made or from the following adjacent departments: Drôme, Isère, Ardèche, Loire, Rhône, Ain or Savoie.
This is for several reasons:

— the use of fresh raw ingredients (fresh eggs, fromage frais) requires regular, even daily, deliveries, so
a local supplier is needed. The final product is not subjected to any heat treatment other than
possible deep-freezing and the ingredients are put together in the unprocessed state (eggs and
cheeses). It is therefore vital to have very fresh products and to be able to closely monitor the
suppliers,

— such proximity makes it easier to monitor suppliers, bearing in mind that the freshness and quality

of the raw ingredients must be perfect,

— Raviole du Dauphiné has always been made with local ingredients. Processors have always favoured
short supply chains with local suppliers, and will continue to do so, thus meeting their require-
ments in terms of product quality and adaptability. It should be noted that the producers of
fromage frais or fresh eggs often go unchanged for many years.

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only)

Not applicable.

3.5. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

— preparation of the dough,

— preparation of the stuffing,

— filling the dough with the stuffing,

— possible deep-freezing,

— packaging.

3.6. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.

Packaging of the product (in paper or cardboard or in a film-covered tray) must take place in the
geographical area, as it is impossible to transport a product as fragile as raviole without it being pre-
packaged. It is also necessary to preserve the organoleptic quality of the product.

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling

— name of the product: Raviole du Dauphiné,

— PGI logo.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

Raviole du Dauphiné is a highly localised product made in the following areas:

— for Drôme: the municipalities of Alixan, Barbières, La Baume d'Hostun, Beauregard-Baret, Bésayes,
Bourg de Péage, Bouvante, Le Chalon, Charpey, Chateauneuf-sur-isère, Châtillon-Saint-Jean,
Chatuzange-le-Goubet, Clérieux, Crépol, Echevis, Eymeux, Génissieux, Geyssans, Hostun, Jaillans,
Léoncel, Marches, Miribel, Montmiral, La Motte-Fanjas, Mours-Saint-Eusèbe, Oriol-en-Royans,
Parnans, Peyrins, Rochechinard, Rochefort-Samson, Romans-sur-Isère, Saint-Bardoux, Saint-Bonnet-
de-Valclérieux, Sainte-Eulalie-en-Royans, Saint-Jean-en-Royans, Saint-Laurent-d'Onay, Saint-Laurent-
en-Royans, Saint-Martin-le-Colonel, Saint-Michel-sur-Savasse, Saint-Nazaire-en-Royans, Saint-Paul-
lès-Romans, Saint-Thomas-en-Royans, Triors and Saint-Vincent-la-Commanderie,

C 3/20

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

8.1.2009

— for

Isère:

the municipalities of Auberives-en-Royans, Beaulieu, Beauvoir-en-Royans, Bessins,
Châtelus, Chatte, Chevrières, Choranche, Dionay,
Izeron, Montagne, Murinais, Pont-en-Royans,
Presles, Rencurel, Saint-André-en-Royans, Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye, Saint-Appolinard, Saint-Bonnet-
de-Chavagne, Saint-Hilaire-du-Rosier, Saint-Just-de-Claix, Saint-Lattier, Saint-Pierre-de-Chérennes,
Saint-Marcellin, Saint-Romans, Saint-Sauveur, Saint-Vérand, La Sône and Têche.

5.

Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

The definition of geographical area is directly linked to the history of the product. In the alpine regions
of Lower Dauphiné, only soft wheat used to grow; the numerous flocks of sheep, herds of goats and
some cattle would produce milk for the cheeses and provide meat — a luxury reserved for wealthy city
dwellers. The farmers would bring their wheat to the local miller who would open an account in flour
at the bakery. In exchange, the baker would give the miller bread and soft wheat flour. Nothing was
ever purchased, apart from salt, but wheat would be exchanged and people would eat root vegetables,
which formed the basis of their diet.

The origins of raviole reach back into antiquity, when it was even made with turnip. Over the centuries
the ingredients evolved in line with the raw ingredients available in the Dauphiné region, culminating
in the recipe that is used today, namely: soft wheat flour pasta stuffed with Comté PDO and/or
Emmental français Est central PGI, fresh fromage blanc and parsley.

Since it does not contain any meat, raviole was primarily eaten on fast-days. It then became a dish
served at parties. It became more widespread at the beginning of the 20th century, when ‘ravioleuses’
— women who make the product — would travel from farm to farm to make some the night before a
party.

In 1873, a ‘ravioleuse’, Mrs Maury, settled in Romans (which is still the main production centre for
Raviole du Dauphiné), where she took over the bank café on the town hall square. She was the first to
make ravioles and to let people sample them on the premises. Other ‘ravioleuses’ soon began to copy
her, including Mrs Fayet.

The First World War brought an end to the consumption of ravioles and the ‘ravioleuses’ gradually
disappeared.

In 1930, only a few restaurants serving ravioles remained, including that of Emile Truchet who learned
to make them with the help of Mrs Fayet.

Emile Truchet made a machine to modernise the production of ravioles. In 1953, he appeared at the
Romans-sur-Isère fair to make the product. It proved to be a great success, which was consolidated
over the following years.

The manufacture of the first machine for making ravioles greatly increased awareness of the product
and the level of production.

The producers of Raviole du Dauphiné are still located in the area where the product originated: around
Romans and Royannais.

5.2. Specificity of the product

The specificity of Raviole du Dauphiné is based on particular characteristics of the product, a know-how
and the product's reputation.

The specific characteristics of the product are linked to a choice of raw ingredients and to local know-how:

Ravioles are made using ingredients of the highest quality without artificial colouring or preservatives
or any product to add texture. Raviole is unique in that the thin soft wheat-based dough takes just one
minute to cook in boiling water.

Raviole cannot be compared to fresh pasta as there are some criteria that give it its specificity and
distinguish it from fresh pasta.

— dough with a soft wheat flour base

The cereal content of fresh pasta is hard semolina (Decree No 55-1175 of 31 August 1955 on pasta).
The pasta in ravioles is made using soft wheat flour extracted from the wheat germ. This type of flour,
which has a very low ash content, gives the pasta its characteristic white colour and its exquisite and
refined taste,

8.1.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 3/21

— thinness of the pasta: the use of soft wheat flour for the pasta means that it can be rolled out extre-
mely thin and the seams can be reduced. This particular characteristic gives the raviole a unique
cooking time of one minute and an unrivalled melt-in-the-mouth texture. In general, fresh pasta is
between 0,9 mm and 1,1 mm thick,

— soft, creamy stuffing made with Comté cheese PDO and/or Emmental français Est-Central PGI,

fromage blanc and parsley,

— fresh product: the raviole is not subjected to any heat treatment, other than possible deep-freezing,
affecting its organoleptic qualities. As for fresh pasta, it is mostly pasteurised or even pasteurised
twice.

The recipe used today is the same as the traditional recipe used by the ‘ravioleuses’ before the use of
machines, which increased the level of production of Raviole du Dauphiné and made it more wide-
spread.

The reputation of Raviole du Dauphiné is well-established:

The word ‘raviole’ actually comes from the word ‘rissole’. Rissoles were made of fried minced meat
rolled into a ball. However, during Lent the meat was replaced by turnip (‘raves’ in French), hence the
term ‘raviole’.

The exact origin of ravioles is unknown, but research proves that they go back a long way. In fact,
according to research carried out by Frédéric Godefroy, the word ‘raviole’
is mentioned in a text
from 1228.

Moreover, through his research (‘Dictionary of the old french language’), Godefroy established a link
between ravioles and religion, as shown in the following definition: ‘raviole, olle, S. m. a piece of pasta
containing minced meat and chopped turnip, eaten during Lent’.

Ravioles gradually became a dish eaten on both civil and religious holidays. They were served as a
starter but also after the vegetables and poultry (mostly boiled chicken), the boiling water being used to
cook the ravioles.

With the invention of the ravioles machine, which gradually replaced ‘ravioleuses’, production increased
considerably, while still following the traditional cheese-based recipe.

Its thin pasta and cheese-based stuffing — distinguishing and unique characteristics — won Raviole du
Dauphiné the approval of many chefs who consider it to be ‘a real delight to the palate with a miracu-
lous taste’.

Raviole du Dauphiné can therefore be found in a large number of local recipes: ravioles en gratin, fried
ravioles with salad, ravioles à la crème, morel ravioles, crayfish ravioles, etc.

Until 1975, Raviole du Dauphiné were made by small producers and ‘ravioleuses’, with a total annual
production of under 100 tonnes. The main distribution channels were restaurants, caterers and small
shops. At the start of the 1990s, the market for Raviole du Dauphiné expanded into supermarkets,
reaching annual volumes of 1 000 tonnes. In 1997, annual production levels of raviole du Dauphiné
reached 2 500 tonnes. Since then, the increase in sales has been more dynamic than ever with sales in
excess of 5 000 tonnes in 2007 (5 103 tonnes between all producers, covering 5 production sites).

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific

quality, reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI)

Raviole du Dauphiné is an old, renowned regional product made in the region of the Dauphiné (the first
texts to mention raviole date from 1228).

The many different culinary dishes from the Dauphiné countryside are made using only products from
the land, hence the use of cheeses in the ravioles instead of meat, unlike other types of pasta. Moreover,
the local produce available in the Dauphiné countryside provides for the use of soft wheat flour,
whereas traditional pasta is made using hard semolina.

Families would buy their flour at the bakery and, only on holidays, make: ravioles, crouzets, ‘matafans’
and ‘besiantes’. Raviole was a local culinary dish — a traditional family meal — eaten in its many
different forms at parties.

C 3/22

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

8.1.2009

Ravioles are, above all, the product of a traditional culture and know-how in the Dauphiné region
(ravioleuses).

The recipe that is used today for Raviole du Dauphiné became established in the 19th century and the
invention of the ravioles machine led to increased production of the product and enabled it to become
more widespread.

The characteristics of Raviole du Dauphiné have been preserved thanks to the specific choice of raw
ingredients and the preservation of the traditional recipe: very thin pasta that cooks very quickly and
has an exceptional melt-in-the-mouth texture, and succulent, creamy stuffing.

Raviole du Dauphiné is recognised as part of the culinary heritage of the Dauphiné. A decision of the
Grenoble Court of Appeal of 14 February 1989 recognised that Raviole du Dauphiné is entitled to a
designation of origin, highlighting the specificity of the product, its recipe and the geographical area of
production. According to an expert report, the court recognised that the specific characteristics of
Raviole du Dauphiné, in terms of composition and preparation, make it an original product and a parti-
cularity of the region.

Moreover, Raviole du Dauphiné is included in the inventory of France's culinary heritage, drawn up
in 1995.

Reference to publication of the specification

http://agriculture.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/cdc_igp_raviole_dauph.pdf