Making tortelli

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Directions

Tortelli is the earliest know stuffed pasta made with egg pasta.

Tortelli are similar to what are known in other places as "ravioli".

They may be cut in a circular shape with a special tortelli or ravioli cutter, or even a cookie cutter. They may also be made in a retangular form, cut with a pastry wheel. It is typical that the egdes of the circles or rectangles be jagged.

Tortellini means of coruse, "little tortelli." In Florence the term refers to something close to "half-moon" tortelli, but curved around a finger and joined at the end. They are made with circles of pasta about 1½" in diameter. The smaller versions are called coppelletti in Florence, and are eaten in broth. The names tortellini, cappelletti, and tortelloni differ slighty in meaning depending on the region in which they are used, but they all derive from the ancient Florentine stuffed pasta called tortelli.

The tortelli may be stuffed with different ingredients. Spinach, sausage, chicken, and turkey are a few. Prepare stuffing before making tortelli.

MAKING TORTELLI: Follow your favorite recipe for making pasta.

Sprinkle a cotton dishtowel with flour and lay the sheet of pasta upon it until a thin film forms, before cutting .

Lay out the long sheet of pasta and starting an inch from the top and side edges, begin a lengthwise row of dots of filling, each one 2 inches from its neighbor. Each dot should be made with 1 teaspoon of filling. Contineue the row until it reaches close to halfway down the length of the pasta sheet. If sheet is narrow, make only 1 such row.

If it is wide enough make a second row, 1 inch in from the other side.

With a wet finger, draw 3 vertical lines (2 if only 1 row of dots), half the length of the pasta, one down each side and one through the center; then draw lines across, between the dots of filling. In this way, when cut, the edges of each tortello will be moist enough to seal well.

Carefully pick up bottom end of pasta sheet and fold it over the top half. Quickly press down around the dots of filling. Using a 2 inch round scalloped pastry cutter, cut out circles, pressing well to be sure all edges are detached. As you lift out each tortello, press the edges all around between two fingers to make sure they are completely sealed.

Let rest until needed on a floured wooden surface or floured cotton dishtowel. If the tortelli are to stand more than 30 minutes before cooking, cover them with a cotton towel so they do not dry out.

Note: Tortelli may also be made square. Cut into squares using a pastry wheel instead of a round cutter.

MAKING "HALF-MOON" TORTELLI: Follow the directions for making pasta, allowing pasta to dry until a thin film has formed. Then lay out the long sheet of pasta on a wooden surface. With a pastry wheel or knife, cut the sheet in half lengthwise.

Starting 1 ½ inches from top begin a lengthwise row of dots of filling, in the cnter of each half sheet. Each dot should be made with 1 teaspoon of filling. Continue the row down entire lenght of the half-sheet.

With a wet finger (or brush) moisten entire length of edges of each half-sheet. Then make lines of moisture across, between the dots of filling. In this way, when cut, each half-moon will be moist enough to seal well.

Carefully pick up one of the sides with both hands and fold the half sheet lenghwise in half. Quickly press down around the dots of filling. Repeat with the other half-sheet.

Cut out half-moons, that is semicircles, by placing only half of a round 2 inch jagged pastry cutter over the area containing the filling. As you lift out each half-moon, press the edges on the semicirclar side between two fingers, to be sure they are completely sealed.

Let rest until needed on a floured wooden surface or floured cotton dishtowel. If the half moon tortelli are to stand more than 30 minutes before cooking, cover with a cotton towel so they do not become too dry.

MAKING TORTELLINI: To make tortellini, make fresh pasta, but do not wait for pasta to dry. As each piece of dough is rolled out, begin to make tortellini with it immediately.

Cut the sheet of pasta into circles with a 1 ½ inch round cookie cutter. Place a scant ½ teaspoon of filling in the center of each pasta circle. Moisten the edges, then double over one side of the pasta circle, but not all the way to the other side; leave a little border arc of the pasta undoubled. Seal the moistened edges.

Wrap the half-moon around your index finger, the top of the finger reaching only to the top of the top of the filled section. With your thumbs, connect the two edges of the half-moon. The overlap of pasta above your index finger should be curled outward.

MY NOTE: Place center of pasta filled section close to center of index fingernail with dough hanging toward palm of hand, pull dough together around finger toward thumb and press together to seal.) The book also has illustrations of these to make it easy to understand.....hope this is enough.

Source "The Fine Art of Italian Cooking" by Giuliano Bugialli Submitted By MARGARET YOUNG On 10-28-95

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