The Italian Tortellini Bolognese
Tortellini have always been considered a purely Bolognese dish, perhaps few know that even today Bologna and Modena compete for their paternity, and it is precisely to this eternal rivalry that the history of tortellini is linked.
If you talk to a Modenese, he knows that the origin is in Modena but in the same way Bolognese can say it.
Legend has it that in an inn in Castelfranco Emilia, the Corona, then under the control of Bologna, a beautiful Marchesina arrived to stay overnight after a long journey. The owner of the inn, captivated by such beauty, spying through the keyhole glimpsed the navel of the noblewoman and caught by inspiration he created the tortellini by reproducing its shape.
The historian Cervellati, in one of his manuscripts, speaks of "Tortellum ad Natale" in 12th century Bolognese paintings. In fact, historical and literary references appear from the beginning of the 1300s in the Modena recipe "tortelei de enula", and in the 15th century, the tortellini is even mentioned in Boccaccio's history; "Decameron".
One of the important dates for the tortellini is undoubtedly 1904, when Emily's Bartani brothers, who took part in the Los Angeles fair, presented the tortellini: from that moment on, the tortellini became known around the world .
The “Learned Confraternity of Tortellini” at the Bologna Chamber of Commerce registered the official recipe for tortellini Bolognese on 7 December 1974.
The recipe for Bolognese tortellini:
FOR PASTA:
- 200 g of flour
- 2 eggs
FOR THE STUFFING:
- 100 g of pork loin
- 100 g of raw ham
- 100 g of Bologna mortadella
- 150 g Parmesan 36 months (if using a less seasoned Parmesan 250 g)
- 1 egg
- nutmeg scent
FOR THE SOUP:
- 500 g of capon
- 300 g of double beef
- 1 piece of beef knee
- 1 bone with medulla
- 1 stick of celery
- 1 small onion
- half an onion with golden skin (from Medicina)
- parsley to taste
- 15 g of coarse salt
PROCEDURE:
- For the filling: marinate the pork loin for 48 hours with coarse salt and whole pepper. Once the marinade is finished, cook it whole over low heat with the butter. Once cooked, clean it from the pepper and chop it finely, then do the same with raw ham and mortadella. Then combine all the ingredients, mix well, add the egg, parmesan and nutmeg scent and continue mixing. After all the ingredients are well blended, let it rest for 24 hours before wrapping the tortellini.
- For the pasta : on a pastry board make a fountain with the flour. Break the eggs in the center and beat them with a fork, slowly incorporating the flour until the dough has reached a consistency that can be worked with your hands, kneading vigorously without tearing the dough. When the dough is homogeneous and smooth, wrap it in a film and let it rest for about 1 hour. Roll out the dough about 2 millimeters thin and cut squares with the special smooth spronella. Add the filling in the center and pack the tortellini.
- For the broth: toast the onion on a hot plate. Then add the meats in a large pot after washing and draining them. Add 3/4 liters of cold water and bring to a boil, slowly adding the herbs and simmering over low heat for about 4 hours in a half-covered pot. Remember to add a sheet of parchment paper to the surface so as not to foam the broth. Once ready, keep a part of the broth for presentation and cook the tortellini in the remaining one.
- Fresh tortellini, just made, can be frozen, well separated from each other for 30 minutes and then collected together in a bag to freeze.
- Tortellini in broth are an excellent dish for cold winter evenings, especially at Christmas, for a light dinner after a long lunch!
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Italian