I love tortellini Bolognesi.
Even if I can’t remember the first time I ate them, I have so many memories about my family and tortellini.
As a child, I remember participating in the wonder of the Sunday lunch, a parade of aromas and flavors. A jubilee of pastas of every shape and size -tortellini, cappelletti, ravioli, gnocchi, passatelli, tagliatelle, strozzapreti.
The love and wisdom of the women of the house made it all special.
Although born in Romagna, or maybe because I was born in the dash that connects the Emilia with the Romagna, tortellini are as much a classic as cappelletti.
I remember well the ‘assembly line’ formed by us cousins of all ages to help fill and close the Christmas tortellini. Among the fresh filled pasta, I have a clear preference.
I love tortellini. Not only them, of course, but I love them.
When to eat tortellini
In my home, we eat them year round, except, perhaps a short period between late July-early August where it is simply too hot. But, as soon as the middle of August has past, as far as I’m concerned, its tortellini season again.
How do I eat them? I like them cooked in traditional broth. But also with ragù, and yes, yes with cream, yes, yes. And pasticciati. Seasoned with meat ragu + fresh cream. It’s messy! I know, the purists of the true Bolognese culinary tradition would disagree with me. I’m afraid, but I do it.
To honor the blog name, I thought it right to share my family recipe. But remember, every home has its own recipe.
How to make authentic Tortellini bolognesi and my family recipe
As with every traditional Italian dish, in every home, there is a classic recipe, one made of established habits and secrets handed down over the years. It’s a recipe that has its roots in the history of the family who passed it through generations, and this must be respected.
If someone is looking for the true, original recipe, you should know that one has been filled away in the chamber of commerce of Bologna. My recipe is no different: all of the ingredients are the same, just differing slightly in quantity.
For traditional tortellini, need to make a traditional filling.
When you’re using a different recipe, you’re not making classic tortellini but untraditional tortellini or ravioli.
Actually ravioli can be filling in many different ways but always are ravioli, not tortellini.
Buona cucina, Monica
Food Tips
It may sound difficult, but as with all things, you’ll get better with practice.
One thing to know before you get started: the pasta dough for tortellini, like that for all stuffed pasta, should not be too dry. Therefore, it’s best to have your filling prepared first so that you can begin stuffing once your dough is ready.
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Tortellini Bolognesi
Ingredients
Filling
- 100 g of pork loin
- 100 g mortadella Bologna PGI
- 100 g Parma ham
- 110 g of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt, not plentiful
- 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
Pasta Dough
- 400 g 00 flour
- 4 eggs
Instructions
Filling
- Cut pork loin, mortadella and prosciutto di Parma with a knife into small cubes.
- Process them through a meat grinder or in a food processor. Depending on the size of your food processor, you might need to pass each meat separately to obtain a finely minced mix. You can ask your butcher to do it for you using your recipe.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl and add the Parmigiano, one egg, salt, and nutmeg. Combine the ingredients before using a fork, then your hands.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 24 hours. Tip: prepare the filling the day before making the tortellini.
Pasta dough and pasta sheet
- Combine flour and eggs in a bowl and mix.
- Using a fork, gradually incorporate the flour into the well in a circular motion until large breadcrumbs form.
- From that point, knead the dough on a clean surface until smooth, firm, and well-combined, about 15 minutes.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours at room temperature. If storing overnight, refrigerate, then bring back up to room temperature before use.
- After resting, flatten the ball with the palm of your hands.
- Roll it out thinly with the rolling pin or the pasta machine.
Assembling Tortellini
- Cut the pasta sheet into 3 cm squares.
- Place small balls of filling in the center of the square.
- Cover tortellini squares with plastic wrap to keep them from drying. Leave uncovered only the line of squares you are working on.
- Fold the squares into a triangle. Pinch well the sides.
- Now fold the longer side onto itself, upward, pressing the two corners of the triangle together around your index finger.
- Leave to dry for a few minutes or a whole night in a cool place on a pasta dryer.
Food Tip
- If you want to get precise squares, use a pasta cutting rolling.
