Homemade Tortellini in Broth: The real classic recipe as our grandmothers used to make it
There are recipes that go beyond mere nourishment: they are stories, memories, fragrance of celebration. Tortellini in Broth are exactly this.
Don’t call it a first course, it’s a ritual, an institution, the warmth of family enclosed in a little golden ring of pasta!
Even though my grandmother was Genoese, she was great at making them.
I still remember, a few days before Christmas, if you arrived at her house you would see all the kitchen countertops and the table full of tortellini that she prepared in advance for the party.
This is the recipe I propose today: the real one, which requires time, love, and quality ingredients.
Don’t be scared by the length of the procedure.
It’s true, you have to roll out the dough and close the tortellini, but I assure you that the pleasure of tasting a concentrated and very fragrant capon broth enveloping a tasty filling is priceless.
The secret of a perfect tortellino lies in three crucial steps that you must respect:
The Broth: It must simmer slowly for hours. You must not hurry.
The Dough: It must be so thin that you can see through it. This is the trick for a tortellino that remains light and not rubbery.
The Filling: It must be a wise balance of Mortadella, Prosciutto Crudo, and pork, enriched with nutmeg, which is the distinctive aroma.
There is no greater joy than forming those little tortellini with your hands. Even if they are not aesthetically perfect, they are a journey into tradition that must not be forgotten.
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 2 Hours
- Portions: about 80 tortellini
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients (for about 4 people)
- 2.2 lbs capon (or other broth meat)
- 12 cups water
- carrot (1 medium)
- 1 onion
- 1 stalk celery
- rosemary (1 sprig)
- 2 leaves sage
- 1 sprig thyme
- to taste salt
- spices (Bay leaf, Juniper berries, Cloves, Whole peppercorns)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or a mix for a more resilient dough)
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 oz oz Bologna mortadella
- 1 oz oz Prosciutto Crudo DOP, from Parma
- 1 oz oz pork meat (loin or shoulder pulp)
- 1 1/2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (aged 24 months)
- 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 oz butter
- to taste nutmeg
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Pot
- Strainer
- Bowl
- Saucepan
- Mixer
- Mixer
- Rolling pin
- Pasta machine
- Pasta cutter
HOMEMADE TORTELLINI IN BROTH PROCEDURE
In a large pot, place the meat (capon, and vegetables carrot, onion, celery) and herbs (Rosemary, Sage, Thyme). Cover with the 3 liters of cold water. Bring to a boil, skim if necessary, and then lower the heat to a minimum: the broth should simmer gently for 2-3 hours. Adjust salt only at the end of cooking. When ready, extract the capon and filter the broth with a fine strainer. Put the broth in a container and, if time permits, let it cool in the fridge to remove excess fat that solidifies on the surface.
Cut the pork pulp into pieces and brown it with the butter in a saucepan. Let completely cool the browned meat. In a mixer place: Mortadella, Prosciutto Crudo, the browned and cooled Pork, Parmigiano Reggiano, Nutmeg, and the Egg Yolk. Operate the mixer until obtaining a thick, homogeneous, malleable but dry dough. Transfer the filling to a bowl and cover.
In a stand mixer or on a pastry board, pour the flour, the whole egg, and the yolk. Work the dough until obtaining a compact loaf. Knead the loaf by hand for a few minutes and let it rest for half an hour in a bowl covered with a clean cloth: this is essential so that the dough does not retract. Roll out the dough with the rolling pin or with the pasta machine (pasta roller) on a lightly floured pastry board. The dough should be very thin (less than 0.5 mm). Immediately cover with cling film the part of the dough that you are not working on.
Uncover only one portion of dough at a time. With a pasta cutter wheel, cut out squares of 3 cm per side. Take about 2 g of filling (the size is important!) and place it in the center of the square. If the pasta is dry, moisten the edges with very little water.
Close the dough over the filling, joining two opposite vertices to form a triangle, pinching the edges well. Shape the tortellino: fold the tip of the triangle towards you and join the two tips at the base of the triangle, making them meet and sealing them.Heat the capon broth in a large pot until it reaches boiling. Drop the tortellini directly into the boiling broth. Being fresh, they will cook in only 2-3 minutes. Serve your tortellini immediately and very hot, with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmigiano Reggiano (if you like).
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
For fresh pasta, preferably use “00” flour or a mix with re-milled semolina flour (100 g of 00 and 50 g of semolina) to make the dough more resistant and workable. Capon broth is the traditional one, but you can use beef, hen, or mixed broth. For the filling, use high-quality meats!
Possible Substitutions:
Capon: or Hen, Beef (muscle cut or brisket tip). For a less fatty and more “everyday” broth.
Pork Pulp: but also fresh pork sausage. Remove the casing and use it directly in the mixture (do not brown it).
Flour 00: or Fresh pasta flour type “0” or 00 with semolina. For a more resilient dough and a more intense color.
Butter (in the filling): or EVO Oil, to brown the meat and make the filling lighter.
Storage
Fresh raw tortellini can be stored in the refrigerator on a floured tray (covered) for up to 24 hours.
If you want to prepare them well in advance, you can freeze them: arrange them on a floured tray, put them in the freezer and, once frozen, transfer them to freezer bags. They are cooked directly from frozen, in boiling broth, extending the cooking time by 1-2 minutes.
The broth, once cooked and filtered, can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or can be frozen in portions.
Alternatives and Variations
1 – Tortellini in Parmesan Cream: If you want to try dry tortellini, serve them with a Parmesan cream: melt 100 g of grated Parmigiano Reggiano with 100 ml of fresh cream. Mix the cooked tortellini in this sauce.
2 – Vegetarian Filling: Replace the meat filling with a mix of Ricotta and Spinach (100 g of well-drained ricotta, 50 g of cooked and squeezed spinach, 50 g of Parmesan, Nutmeg).
Perfect Usage and Pairings
Tortellini in Broth is traditionally the main dish of the Christmas or Easter Lunch, served as a first course.
Second Course: The capon meat used for the broth can be served as a second course, accompanied by a green sauce or mashed potatoes.
Wine: In broth, tortellini pairs well with a dry and not too aromatic white wine such as a Grechetto or an Albana Secco. If served dry, a Lambrusco Grasparossa (the classic Emilian pairing) is the perfect choice.
Origins and History: The Myth of Tortellino
The Tortellino is an excellence of Emilian cuisine, with a historical dispute between Bologna and Modena over its paternity. The most romantic legend tells that the tortellino was created by an innkeeper from Castelfranco Emilia (located between the two cities) who, spying through the keyhole at the beautiful Venus, was so struck by the shape of her navel that he wanted to reproduce it in the kitchen with a piece of dough.
The traditional filling, the so-called “battuto”, is codified and includes the use of pork cuts (roasted pork loin), prosciutto crudo, mortadella, and Parmigiano Reggiano. A symbol of opulence and festivity, capon broth has always been the ideal vehicle, enhancing its flavor without covering it.
The Secret for Tortellini that Don’t Open During Cooking: Don’t Overdo the Filling!
The most common mistake made with tortellini is putting too much filling. Remember: the real tortellino is small! The 2 g dosage is indicative, but the important thing is that the filling is a small hazelnut, because the dominant taste should remain the dough and the silky sensation of the broth. A tortellino that is too full is heavy and loses its elegance. Work with precision, and tradition will reward you!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
1. My dough breaks while stretching, what am I doing wrong?
Most likely, the dough is too dry (add an extra yolk next time) or it hasn’t rested enough. The half-hour rest is crucial for the gluten to relax. Also, use quality flour and work quickly to avoid heating the dough.
2. Can I use vegetable broth instead of meat broth?
Of course, it’s fine as an alternative, but consider that you will lose the traditional taste intensity and richness. To make the vegetable broth more “hearty”, add dried porcini mushrooms (soaked) and a tablespoon of miso at the end of cooking.
3. How long do tortellini last once cooked?
Tortellini should be eaten immediately. If there are leftovers, they can be stored in the broth in the refrigerator for 1 day, but the pasta will tend to absorb the liquid and swell. It is not advisable to reheat them, but if you must, add more fresh broth to avoid them being too mushy.
