Terra di Toscana www.terraditoscana.com

Tortellini con Burro e Formaggio

(Tortellini with Butter and Cheese)

Stories abound detailing the origin of this famous pasta. My favorite is the innkeeper chef who was inspired to invent the dish after peering through a keyhole at a beautiful lady bathing. The sight of her navel in the bathwater led to the creation of an umbilically shaped delicacy we know as tortellini.

2 ounces prosciutto di Parma
1/4 pound ground veal
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Fresh Pasta Dough, rolled into sheets
1 egg, beaten, with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash
½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Grind prosciutto di Parma in the food processor. Stir in the ground veal and 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano by hand. Place in a piping bag and set aside.
Cut the pasta into 2-inch rounds. Pipe approximately 1/2 teaspoon filling in the center of each round, brush the edges with egg wash, and fold in half to form a half-moon shape. Wrap it around your finger, bringing the corners together to overlap, pinching tightly to seal the shape into a circle. Curl the thin edges of the pasta back. Set aside on a lightly floured surface.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the tortellini for 3 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain the tortellini, toss them with the melted butter and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve at once.
Serves 6



Picture by Joyce Dudkerk-Pool

 


Terraditoscana © Polimedia - All rights reserved
Press registration n. 5528 10/11/2006 - Editor Polimedia - P.IVA 06790950486