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Tortellini in brodo
Tortellini in brodo: Bologna and Modena's tiny filled pasta in clear broth, for Christmas
Christmas Day in Bologna and Modena begins at the kitchen table, with whole families folding hundreds of tortellini no bigger than a fingertip around a filling of pork loin, mortadella, prosciutto and parmigiano. They are served in a clear, golden broth made from capon, or from chicken and beef, simmered so gently it barely moves. The pasta should be thin enough to see the filling through, and the little rings bob in the bowl with a spoonful of parmigiano on top. It is a full afternoon's work, so make the broth and tortellini a day ahead and freeze any extras on a floured tray; on a busy weeknight, 500 g of good bought tortellini simmered in the homemade broth is a perfectly respectable shortcut. A common mistake is letting the broth boil: it turns cloudy and greasy instead of clear. Chef's tip: make the filling the day before and keep it in the fridge; it firms up and is much easier to dot onto the tiny squares.
- Total time
- 240 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the broth
For the filling
For the pasta
To serve
Method
0/13 doneStep 1: Put 2 ¼ lb chicken pieces, 1 ⅛ lb beef shin, 1 onion, 1 carrot and 1 stalk celery in a large pot with 4 litres of cold water. Bring slowly to the boil over a medium heat, skimming off the grey foam as it rises.
25 minStep 2: Turn the heat right down so that only an occasional bubble breaks the surface, add 2 tsp salt and leave uncovered. Never let it boil hard. Simmer for 2½ hours, until the meat falls from the bones and the chicken is cooked well past 165°F.
150 minStep 3: While the broth simmers, melt ½ oz butter in a small frying pan over a medium heat and cook 3 ½ oz pork loin, turning, until browned and cooked through with no pink inside (145°F), then rest it for 3 minutes. Let it cool.
8 minStep 4: Mince the pork, 3 ½ oz mortadella and 3 ½ oz prosciutto crudo very finely in a food processor or with a sharp knife.
Step 5: Mix in 5 ½ oz parmigiano reggiano, 1 egg and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg to a firm, smooth paste. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
Step 6: Heap 10 ½ oz 00 flour on a board, make a well and crack in 3 eggs. Beat with a fork, drawing in the flour, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and springy. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
10 minStep 7: Roll a quarter of the dough at a time, keeping the rest wrapped, until it is about 1 mm thin and you can almost see your hand through it (the second-thinnest setting on a pasta machine).
Step 8: Cut the sheet into 3 cm squares. Put a chickpea-sized dot of filling in the centre of each.
Step 9: Fold each square into a triangle and press the edges to seal; if the dough is dry, dab with water. Wrap the triangle round your fingertip, filling outwards, and pinch the two corners together; fold the top point back to make the little navel shape.
Step 10: Set the tortellini on a floured tray in a single layer, not touching. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Freeze any you won't cook today on the tray, then bag them.
Step 11: Strain the broth through a fine sieve lined with muslin or kitchen paper. Lift the fat from the surface with a spoon (easier once chilled) and taste for salt. Keep the meat for another meal.
Step 12: Bring 2 litres of the broth to a gentle boil, drop in the tortellini and simmer until they float and the pasta is tender, 2–3 minutes for fresh, 4–5 from frozen.
3 minStep 13: Ladle into warm bowls, about 40 tortellini each with plenty of broth, and pass round 1 ⅜ oz parmigiano reggiano.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tortellini in brodo take?
- About 240 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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