Pasta is a staple, here in Italy. And learning how to make it has been on my to do’s list for quite some time. My mum tought me how to make the dough and now I’m having fun reproducing the several different pasta shapes existing
Making homemade pasta is a true art, to me. Every single shape is linked to a specific region of Italy. Each different shape has its own story behind. This is what fascinates me. Pasta is part of our culture.That’s why I want to keep alive the tradition and make my own pasta.
This recipe in particular, is about a stuffed kind of pasta which was born in Emilia Romagna. I filled them with fresh asparagus because they’re in season but there are plenty of different fillings you could use. Let’s see how to make them!
For 4 portions ( about 40 tortelli):
For the pasta dough:
- 2 large free range eggs,
- 100 g durum flour;
- 100 g plain flour.
For the filling:
- 190- 200 g asparagus;
- 4/5 tbsp breadcrumbs;
- 3 tbsp parmesan cheese;
- salt and pepper to taste,
- olive oil.
1) Peel the asparagus and remove the final ends, then cut them into small chunks and boil them in plenty salty water.
2) Once cooked, drain the asparagus and pop them into a food processor, fitted with steel blades, then add the parmesan, a good splash of olive oil, the bread crumbs ( add some more bread crumbs just in case your asparagus absorbed too much water, in order to get a mixture neither too dry nor too soft). Finally season the filling according to your taste. Put the filling aside and make the pasta dough.
3) For the pasta dough place your flours on a large clean surface, make a well in the centre and break 2 eggs. Start combining the ingredients with a fork, then go on kneading with your hands until you form a dough. Cover it in cling film and let it rest for 15 minutes, so that the gluten can relax.
4) Roll out your pasta dough with a pasta machine or with a rolling pin. You make tortelli by cutting squares out of your rolled pasta dough. Place a teaspoon of filling in the centre of each square, fold each one into a triangle, seal the edges pressing down with your fingers and finally bring the two corners together.
5)Boil them in plenty salty water until they are ” al dente” and toss them in a pan, in which you’ve previously melted about a tablespoon of butter with some sage’s leaves. Serve your tortelli with some freshly ground pepper and a good sprinkle of parmesan. Bon Appétit!
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