Tortellini in Brodo
Time for the next tasty treat in this trail through the pasta alphabet, for we are now on the letter T. Thankfully there are tons of terrific options to choose from.
Turkey, trout, thyme, tarragon, tangerines, tapioca, tamarind, tomato, and even tiramisu. All tasty, but I think a light and simple fresh cheese tortellini in brodo will be perfect.
Tortellini in brodo, or pasta in broth, is a very classic old school Italian dish that is perfect for cold weather, if you’re feeling under the weather, or wish to bring the traditional flavors of Italian cooking to your home. This recipe comes to us from the legendary Pasta Grannies, so you know it’s going to be terrific!
Serves 4
For the Pasta:
7oz 00 or all purpose flour
3 1/2oz semolina flour
3 eggs
For the Filling:
7oz finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Aged 36 months if possible), plus more for topping
7oz drained whole milk ricotta*
7oz of goat’s cheese or any soft cheese
1 egg yolk
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
6 cups of a hearty, flavorful meat stock. (Could be chicken or beef stock, depends on what you have)
*To drain ricotta, simply dump the ricotta into a strainer lined with 2 layers of cheese cloth and leave that for about 8 hours
To make the pasta, dump all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until a shaggy dough forms. Dump onto a lightly floured surface, then knead until combined and smooth. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, then let it rest on the counter for at least 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling by masing the cheeses together with the egg yolk and nutmeg.
Working in batches and keeping any unused dough wrapped, roll out the pasta dough into thin, even sheets. Use a ravioli cutter or knife to cut the sheets into 2-inch squares. (A ruler helps with this, but is not fully necessary)
To make the tortellini, take tiny spoonfulls of filling, about the size of a marble, and place that in the center of each pasta square. Pick up each square, then fold two of the corners together and use your fingers to pinch the edges and seal the pasta together. Wrap two of the ends around your pinky finger, then fold down the little tip. Repeat until you’ve used up all of your filling.
Heat the meat stock to a gentle simmer. Working in batches, cook the tortellini in the broth for about 2 minutes per batch. To serve, simply ladle out the pasta with plenty of that broth to cover, then top with Parmigiano.
