Tortelli or their smaller versions, like tortellini, have to be one of Italy’s ultimate comfort foods. They hold a special place in the hearts of many Italians who grew up eating them around the New Year.
This recipe for ricotta tortelli is inspired by one of the 790 recipes in the beloved cookbook penned by Pellegrino Artusi, Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well (see TF 58). Self-published in 1891, it was the first book that included a collection of dishes from regions all over the newly founded nation of Italy. It didn’t take long for his cookbook to be found in practically every Italian household, sitting on the bookshelf alongside Italian classics such as I Promessi Sposi and Pinocchio. Artusi was born in Forli, Emilia-Romagna in 1820, but lived in Florence for many years, in Piazza d’Azeglio, until his death in March 1911. The tradition of tortelli comes from his emiliano upbringing: the Emilians are famous for them.
These little packages of thin, fresh egg pasta stuffed with meat or cheese fillings are best served in the simplest way. Purists will undoubtedly prefer them boiled and served in homemade chicken broth, known as tortellini in brodo. In this recipe, Artusi suggests serving them with some butter and cheese. The important thing is that the joy of eating tortelli lie in the simplicity of the pasta morsels themselves: the delicate and tasty filling wrapped in silky egg pasta should never be overwhelmed by a heavy or complicated sauce.
I’ve heard tortellini are called Venus’ bellybuttons, nicknamed in honour of the goddess of beauty herself because of their shape. Artusi’s recipe features only the filling, not the pasta, but making the pasta is not hard to master. See the instructions here for producing perfect ?bellybuttons’ for your Tuscan table.
RECIPE
Tortelli, recipe no. 55 SERVES 4
Note: The general rule for fresh egg pasta is 100 grams of flour and 1 egg per person. The filling is noted by Artusi to be ?enough for three people’ but I would venture to say four, especially if this is going to be served as the first course with other dishes to follow.
Ingredients:
For the pasta
400 grams of flour
4 small eggs
For the filling
200 grams Ricotta
40 grams Parmesan cheese, grated
1 whole egg plus one egg yolk
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
Pinch of salt
To garnish
A handful of finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
A knob of butter per person
Method
Prepare the pasta by tipping the flour onto a clean surface, creating a well in the middle of the flour and cracking the eggs into this space. Using a fork, whip the eggs until they are combined and, still whisking, slowly begin to incorporate the surrounding flour until the mixture becomes creamy and eventually becomes too thick to continue whisking. With floured hands, finish incorporating the flour (you may not need all of it, depending on the size of the egg) until the dough no longer sticks to your hands. Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes or until it becomes smooth, elastic and a finger poked into the surface of the dough bounces back. Let the dough rest, covered with a damp cloth, under a bowl, or in cling film, for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling by combining all the ingredients and mixing well.
Divide the dough into pieces, and, keeping covered the pieces that are not in use, roll out the pasta into paper-thin sheets (you should see your fingers through it when you hold it up to the light) with the help of a pasta rolling machine and cut rounds out with a cookie cutter or a glass. Place a heaped teaspoonful of ricotta mixture in the middle, fold one side of the pasta over the other to make half moons, then fold the corners of the half moon together to form the tortelli in their characteristic shape.
Don’t keep the tortelli waiting too long before you cook them, they should be cooked immediately or they can be frozen for cooking at a later time. Once they are ready to be cooked, it takes just minutes until they’re on the table, ready to be devoured.
Cook the tortelli in boiling salted water for a few minutes or until they float. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, place in bowls and dress them with a knob of butter and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Read more from Emiko Davies’ cookbook Florentine: The True Cuisine of Florence, published by Hardie Grant Books. Order your copy of Florentine: The True Cuisine of Florence
