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Tortelli di erbetta
Ricotta and chard tortelli
Tortelli d'erbetta: Parma's ricotta and chard tortelli in butter and Parmigiano
ItalianOn the night of 23 June, the feast of San Giovanni, Parma eats tortelli d'erbetta outdoors, at long tables in courtyards and on terraces, and the custom says the evening dew blesses the meal. The filling is the young chard the city calls erbetta, mixed with ricotta and a lot of Parmigiano; the pasta is egg-rich and thin, and the only sauce is melted butter and more cheese. Each one is soft, creamy and gently green. Chef's tip: cut the tortelli as large rectangles, about 6 × 8 cm, as they do in Parma; bigger parcels hold more filling and cook evenly.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 14 oz Italian 00 flourplus extra for dusting
- 4 eggslarge
For the filling
- 1 ⅓ lb young Swiss chard leavesstalks removed
- 12 ½ oz ricottawell drained
- 3 ½ oz Parmigiano Reggianograted; usually made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian hard cheese if you prefer
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
To serve
- 2 ⅞ oz butter
- 1 ¾ oz Parmigiano Reggianograted; usually made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian hard cheese if you prefer
- 1 tbsp saltfor the cooking water
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Make a well in 14 oz Italian 00 flour, crack in 4 eggs and beat with a fork, drawing in the flour. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth, wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
40 minStep 2: Blanch 1 ⅓ lb young Swiss chard leaves in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain, cool, squeeze very dry and chop finely.
2 minStep 3: Mix the chard with 12 ½ oz ricotta, 3 ½ oz Parmigiano Reggiano, 1 egg, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg and ½ tsp salt into a thick, smooth filling.
Step 4: Roll the dough in batches into long, thin sheets, about 1 mm. Dot heaped teaspoons of filling down one half of each sheet, 4 cm apart.
Step 5: Fold the other half over, press around each mound to push out the air, and cut into rectangles with a fluted wheel. Common mistake: letting the sheets dry; the edges won't seal, so cover the dough you aren't using and work quickly.
Step 6: Bring a large pan of water to a gentle boil with 1 tbsp salt. Cook the tortelli in batches for 4–5 minutes, until the edges are tender.
5 minStep 7: Meanwhile melt 2 ⅞ oz butter in a small pan over a low heat until just foaming.
3 minStep 8: Lift the tortelli into warm dishes in layers, spooning butter and scattering 1 ¾ oz Parmigiano Reggiano between each layer.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tortelli di erbetta take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 70 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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