What is the marciapiede in tortelli maremmani?

The sidewalk, literally "sidewalk" in Italian, is the wide edge of dough that surrounds tortelli maremmani. The dough is folded over and pressed to properly enclose the filling, then the edge is often marked with a pastry wheel or a fork, sometimes in a zigzag pattern. So it is neither a garnish nor a sauce: it is part of the tortello itself.

In a tortello maremmano, usually filled with ricotta and spinach or other herbs, this edge is often thicker and more generous than that of a classic ravioli. It helps seal the raviolo and provides more dough to bite into. However, the size and thickness vary depending on the cook: a sidewalk well-made one remains tender after cooking, while an edge that is too thick can seem a bit doughy. If you order some, look at the perimeter: it is this detail that explains the name and often distinguishes the local version.