The Hirshon Ultimate Emilia-Romagna Tortellini in Brodo

My glorious and revered Citizens! This last week has been a difficult one indeed, as My depression had begun to spiral so badly out of control that it nearly got the better of Me (in the worst possible way) – thankfully, last night I turned a corner and started eating (and sleeping) to the point where today I feel a whole and proper man once again! To celebrate this blessed occurrence, I invoke the ancient Gods with a dish of profound comfort food inspired by the navel of Venus Herself – tortellini in brodo!

…however, being TFD – I will share the ULTIMATE version of this legendary recipe exactly as it is made in its ancestral homeland – the hybrid province of Italy known as Emilia-Romagna! This legendary and bounteous region is the home of mortadella, prosciutto, balsamic vinegar, legendary fast cars, and this especial dish that combines the best edible treasures of the region into one sumptuous (and yet at the same time very light) dish!

Emilia-Romagna is one of the 20 administrative regions of Italy, situated in the north of the country, comprising the historical regions of Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of 22,446 km2 (8,666 sq mi), and about 4.4 million inhabitants.

Emilia-Romagna is one of the wealthiest and most developed regions in Europe, with the third highest gross domestic product per capita in Italy. Bologna, its capital, has one of Italy’s highest quality of life indices and advanced social services. Emilia-Romagna is also a cultural, economic, and tourist center, being the home of the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world!

It also possesses Romanesque and Renaissance cities (such as Modena, Parma and Ferrara) and the former Roman Empire capital of Ravenna; encompassing eleven UNESCO heritage sites; as well as being a center for both food and automobile production (it is the home of automotive companies such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani, De Tomaso, Dallara, and Ducati).

The name Emilia-Romagna is a legacy of Ancient Rome. Emilia derives from the via Aemilia, the Roman road connecting Piacenza to Rimini, completed in 187 BCE and named after the consul Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. Romagna derives from Romània, the name of the Eastern Roman Empire applied to Ravenna by the Lombards when the western Empire had ceased to exist and Ravenna was an outpost of the east (540–751).

Emilia-Romagna is considered one of the richest regions of Italy with regard to its gastronomic and wine-making tradition. The region is known for its egg and filled pasta made with soft wheat flour. Bologna is notable for pasta dishes like tortellini, lasagne, gramigna and tagliatelle which are found also in many other parts of the region in different declinations. The Romagna subregion is known as well for pasta dishes like garganelli, strozzapreti, sfoglia lorda and tortelli alla lastra.

In the Emilia subregion, except Piacenza which is heavily influenced by the cuisines of Lombardy, rice is eaten to a lesser extent. Polenta, a maize-based dish, is common both in Emilia and Romagna. The celebrated balsamic vinegar is made only in the Emilian cities of Modena and Reggio Emilia, following legally binding traditional procedures. Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan Cheese) is produced in Reggio Emilia, Parma, Modena and Bologna and is much used in cooking.

Although the Adriatic coast is a major fishing area which produces eels and clams, the region produces more meat products, especially pork-based, including Parma’s prosciutto, culatello and Salame Felino, Piacenza’s pancetta, coppa and salami, Bologna’s mortadella and salame rosa, Modena’s zampone, cotechino and cappello del prete and Ferrara’s salama da sugo.

Legend claims that tortellini was inspired by the goddess Venus’ navel and was born in the town of Castelfranco Emilia, in the province of Modena, near Bologna.  An Italian medieval legend tells how Venus arrived in the town’s sole tavern in disguise. After eating a hearty dinner and becoming slightly drunk, she decides to retire to her room for the evening

The innkeeper, captivated after seeing her (even in disguise!), peeked through the keyhole of the bedroom door as the Goddess was undressing. However, all he can see through the keyhole is the navel of Venus. This vision leaves him spellbound – so much so that he immediately rushes to the kitchen and creates a pasta inspired by Venus’ navel…and so was the tortellini ostensibly born! This legend is the origin of the term “ombelico di Venere” (Venus’ navel), occasionally used to describe tortellini.

Every year, Castelfranco Emilia celebrates its favorite son — the nameless inventor of the most sensual of all pasta shapes. Drummers, flag-throwers and local residents parade through town dressed in elaborate Renaissance costumes. On a makeshift stage, the legend of the peeping-Tom innkeeper is more or less re-enacted. The mood is festive and suitable for children. “Inspired by the sight of the divine navel,” the master of ceremonies intones, “our innkeeper invents the prestigious … tortellino!”

Tortellini in brodo simply means ‘tortellini in broth’ and is a favored recipe of Bologna to this very day! The real origin of tortellini is disputed; both Bologna and Modena claim to be its birthplace. OxfordDictionaries.com traces the etymology of tortellini to the diminutive form of tortello, itself a diminutive of torta (“cake” or “pie” in Italian).

The recipe for a dish called ‘torteletti’ appears in 1570 from Bartolomeo Scappi. Vincenzo Tanara’s writings in the mid-17th century may be responsible for the pasta’s renaming to tortellini. Tortelloni is pasta in a similar shape, but larger, typically 5 g, vs. 2 g for tortellini, and with the extremities closed differently. While tortellini have a meat-based filling, tortelloni are filled with ricotta and sometimes with parsley or spinach.

Moreover, while tortellini are traditionally cooked in and served with broth, tortelloni are cooked in water, stir-fried (traditionally with butter and sage) and served dry. According to the people of the region, serving tortellini in ANYTHING except a meat broth is sacrilege of the highest order – and I for one heartily endorse their orthodoxy and inflexibility – because they are 100% correct! The rich filling of TRUE tortellini must shine, and the meat broth is the only medium that allows that to happen.

Tortellini were once exclusively enjoyed by the Cardinals of the Church and the ultra-wealthy of Bologna, as they include many of the most expensive and rare ingredients the region has to offer – only the very rich could afford to enjoy them! Today, they are still a revered item on the tables of the region, and I shall teach you the only TRUE path to tortellini en brodo GLORY! Salvation is at hand, members of TFD Nation – prepare to be blown away by My rich and subtle flavors of the province! 🙂

First off – the pasta! It must be supremely tender and rich, which means only 3 ingredients – flour, eggs and oil – but it must be the best flour, known as ’00’ (buy it here), the egg yolks ALONE are used for ultimate color and savor and a mere hint of oil adds suppleness to the final dough. Please – if you are going to make this recipe, ONLY use the finest quality filling ingredients – that means REAL mortadella (this is a good source) and real Prosciutto di Parma ham (this is the real deal and pre-sliced).

While My tortellini filling is resolutely traditional, I have slightly tweaked the broth recipe to include not just 2 different kinds of beef, but also chicken (or my preference, duck!) as well as some extra herbs and aromatics (as well as the classic rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano for added umami that FAR too many modern broths lack!).

Citizens – My eternal war against depression rages on, but at least for the moment I am Myself once again – please celebrate with Me and enjoy this ancient and deliciously rich comfort food! One taste and you will truly understand why the nickname for Bologna is ‘Bologna the Fat’ and why I am planning to enjoy this dish with frequency to put some meat back on My own bones! 😉

Battle on – the Generalissimo

The Hirshon Ultimate Emilia-Romagna Tortellini in Brodo

---

• Author: The Generalissimo

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• Ravioli dough:
• 9 oz. “00” flour
• 15 egg yolks (or 8 oz.)
• 1 oz. vegetable oil
• ***
• Filling:
• 2 1/2 oz. Veal
• 2 1/2 oz. Pork loin
• 3 oz. Parma ham
• 3 oz. Mortadella of Bologna
• 3/4 oz. Butter
• 1 Large egg
• Nutmeg, to be grated to taste
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Freshly-ground Black pepper, to taste
• ***
• Broth:
• 1 lb. Beef shoulder, minced
• 1 lb. Duck (preferred) or Chicken with bones
• 1 lb. Beef with bones
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
• 2 oz. Celery with leaves
• 3 1/2 oz. Carrots
• 3 1/2 oz. White onions
• 6 oz. fresh tomatoes
• 4 l Cold Water
• 1 1/2 oz. Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Cloves
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• 4 Black Peppercorns
• 3“ piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind (optional but strongly recommended)

---

Instructions

1. Prepare the meat broth one day in advance:
2. Start with the preparation of the vegetables. Wash and dry them carefully, then peel the carrot and cut it into chunks. Then also cut up the celery. Cut the tomatoes in half. Peel the onion, cutting it in half as well.
3. Fry them together with the olive oil for about 4 minutes in a non-stick pan over high heat, turning them from time to time. Then add them with all the other vegetables in a large, high-sided pot along with the olive oil. Add the herbs, cloves and peppercorns. Pour the bones, minced shoulder and other meat into the pot and add cold water. Add in parmigiano cheese rind, if using (you really should be!).
4. Partially cover the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. As soon as the water begins to bubble, reduce the heat to low and, with a fine-mesh skimmer or a large spoon, skim off and discard any foam that has risen to the surface.
5. Partially cover the pot and simmer gently until the broth is flavorful, about 2 ½ hours. Add 1-2 Tbsp. Kosher salt during the last few minutes of cooking.
6. Remove the meats and discard, or save the meat for another use. Using a slotted spoon, discard the remaining solids from the broth. Strain the broth through a fine strainer into a large bowl.
7. Line the strainer with a clean thin kitchen towel or cheesecloth and strain the broth again into another large bowl. Transfer the broth to storage containers and refrigerate overnight. Remove the fat and reserve the broth.
8. To prepare the tortellini, first prepare the egg pasta: place the flour on a pastry board, forming a large bowl/volcano in the center and add the egg yolks and oil inside the bowl/volcano of flour.
9. With a fork, break and beat the egg yolks and as you continue beating, gradually collect the flour from the sides to thicken the dough. Once it is all amalgamated and not too sticky, you can then knead with your hands until you get a soft and smooth dough. Once ready, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes (and if you like up to two hours) in a cool place (not the fridge).
10. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: cut the veal and pork loin into coarse pieces and put them aside; do the same with the raw ham and mortadella. Melt the butter in a pan and add the veal and pork meat in pieces: let it brown for about ten minutes.
11. Once ready, let it cool, and transfer the meat to a mixer together with the ham and mortadella and blend until you get a fine and well-blended mixture. Add the Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, pepper to taste and the egg and continue blending to obtain a homogeneous mixture. If necessary, add salt, tasting the filling first, as both the raw ham and the Parmesan cheese are quite salty.
12. Now that the filling is ready, let’s take the egg pasta back and roll it out with the pasta machine or a rolling pin into thin rectangular sheets, trying to keep the dough as soft as possible, using just a little flour to dust the sheets only if it feels sticky.
13. You need to pass the sheets through the machine several times, reducing the thickness each time. Ideally, the sheets should be about 0.6 mm. Use a pastry cutter or knife to make clean rectangles (you can use the offcuts and roll them out again) and then cut the dough strips again to make squares of 4 x 4 cm. On top of each square, lay a couple of grams of cold filling and move on to making the tortellini.
14. Take a square and fold the dough into a triangle, point by point, pressing the edges well to make them stick (if the dough has dried slightly, brush the edges lightly with a little water). Then, take the triangle of dough obtained and fold the base of the triangle upwards; with the tip of the triangle facing upwards and with the help of the other hand, join the two ends of the base around the finger with a slight pressure and turning slightly downwards, making sure the edges adhere well.
15. Gently remove the tortellino from the finger and lay it on a lightly-floured cloth; then proceed in the same way until the ingredients are used up. Keep unused dough covered while you’re working and make each set of tortellini before rolling new strips. Leave the tortellini in a cool place on a floured cloth and cook them, strictly in a good meat broth!