Tortellini in Brodo - Tortellini in Broth

The difference between cappelletti, from Modena, and tortellini, from Bologna, lies in the stuffing and not in the form. According to the Modenese, cappelletti are shaped like hats: On the other hand, Giuseppe Cerri, whom the Bolognese credit with the happy invention of the tortellino, claimed to have been inspired by a vision of Venus’s navel.

If you plan to serve tortellini in broth, you should have 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of meat broth handy. Bullion won’t do them justice.

For the stuffing, you will need

• 1/4 pound turkey breast, finely sliced
• 1/4 pound veal, finely sliced
• 2 ounces prosciutto, finely sliced
• 2 ounces Mortadella di bologna, finely sliced (If you can’t find Mortadella, substitute Bologna bought in a delicatessen for it.)
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 3 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 egg
• A pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the turkey and the veal, and cook for about twenty minutes over a medium flame, sprinkling the meat with the wine. When the meat’s done, remove it from the pan, leaving the drippings (turn the flame off). Mince the meat in a food processor along with the Mortadella and the prosciutto.

Return the meat mixture to the pan, along with the cheese, egg, and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly and check seasoning.

For the pasta, follow the instructions for home-made pasta, using 2 3/4 cups flour, 3 eggs, a pinch of salt, and, if need be, a spoonful of water, or buy several sheets of fresh store-made pasta. If you make the pasta at home, divide the dough into two pieces.

Roll one of the pieces out till it’s as thin as a dime and cut it into 1 1/2 inch squares with a serrated pasta wheel. Put a 1/2 teaspoon of filling on each square and fold the squares diagonally to make triangles, tamping them well so the filling won’t come out while they’re cooking. Wrap each triangle around your little finger, giving it a half twist, and stick the opposing corners together to make the tortellini. Set the finished tortellini on to rest on a lightly floured surface. When you’re done with the first sheet, roll out the second and continue until the stuffing is used up.

Bring 1 1/2 quarts of broth to a boil and gently cook the tortellini till they’re done (the pasta should be al dente, about 5 minutes), and serve, with grated cheese. Each diner should get between 12 and 18 tortellini depending upon how big you made them, and this recipe will feed four.

Note: if you are pressed for time, you can prepare the stuffing a day or two ahead and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

A printer-friendly version of this recipe.
Classic Italian Recipes

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