Tortellini in broth

Tortellini in brodo

Egg pasta stuffed with meat and mortadella

The king of the Emilian table: small egg puff pastry cases filled with meat and cheese, swimming in a clear, fragrant meat broth.

195 min

4 servings

Hard

Emilia Romagna

DifficultEmilia Romagna

The tortellino is one of Italy's most contested symbols: Bologna and Modena have disputed its origins for centuries. According to Bolognese legend, it was invented by an innkeeper who was struck by the navel of a noblewoman and wanted to immortalize it in pasta. The recipe, registered by the Confraternity of the Tortellino in 1974, calls for a pork loin filling. mortadella, prosciutto, Parmigiano Reggiano, egg, and nutmeg. The shape should be small, no bigger than a hazelnut. Authentic broth is made with mixed meats (beef and free-range chicken), not stock cubes. Its golden clarity is the test of an experienced cook.

Instructions

Voice reading

5 steps · natural Italian voice

Knead the dough

40 min

Make a well in the flour, pour the eggs into the center, and incorporate them with a fork. Knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and uniform. Wrap it in cling film. plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature: it will be more extensible and will not tend to shrink while rolling out.

Prepare the filling

15 min

Finely chop the cooked meat, mortadella and the Parmigiano Reggiano, maintaining a slightly perceptible grain. Mix until you obtain a mixture Compact and malleable; add only a little cold broth if necessary. The filling is ready when it holds its shape without becoming creamy or runny.

Form i tortellini

50 min

Roll out the dough a little at a time until it is very thin. Cut out squares of about 3 cm (1.18 in), place a small dollop of filling in the center and fold each square into a triangle, sealing the edges. Wrap the triangle around a finger and join the ends. Place the tortellini on a clean kitchen towel floured.

Filter the broth

90 min

Bring the broth to a gentle boil and skim the surface. Continue to simmer gently for 2–3 hours, then strain it through a fine sieve or chinoise. The liquid should be clear, fragrant, and free of residue before adding the pasta.

Cook and serve

5 min

Bring the broth to a light boil and plunge the tortellini in small batches. Stir gently to avoid breaking the pastry and cook for a few minutes, until they rise to the surface and are tender but firm. Divide them into bowls, cover with boiling broth, and serve immediately with Parmigiano Reggiano grated separately.

Chef's Tips

The pastry must be thin enough to see your hand through it - a thick pastry makes the tortellini Heavy. They can be frozen raw on a tray: they can be cooked directly from the freezer in boiling broth. Leftover broth is precious: use it for risottos or soups.