Tortellini in Brodo

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large 12-quart stockpot for the brodo
• •Fine-mesh sieve and cheesecloth for straining
• •Food processor for the filling
• •Pasta machine for rolling dough
• •Two-inch round cutter or drinking glass
• •Clean kitchen towels or flour-dusted trays for drying tortellini

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the brodo

   Place the capon, beef, onion, carrots, celery, tomato, parsley stems, and peppercorns in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water by three inches, about six quarts. Bring slowly to a simmer over medium heat. This should take at least 30 minutes. Never let it boil. A rolling boil creates cloudy broth, and a cloudy broth ruins the dish.

   Capon produces the most flavorful, golden broth. If unavailable, use a stewing hen with added chicken parts. A young roasting chicken lacks the depth you need.
2. 2

   Skim and simmer

   As the broth approaches a simmer, grayish foam will rise to the surface. Skim it away with a ladle or large spoon, repeatedly, until no more foam appears. This takes patience. Reduce heat to maintain the gentlest simmer, with bubbles barely breaking the surface. Simmer uncovered for three to four hours. The broth should reduce by about one-third and turn deeply golden.

3. 3

   Strain and season

   Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean pot. Discard the solids, or reserve the meat for another purpose. Season the broth with salt. It should taste clean and full, with a light body that coats the spoon. Let it cool, then refrigerate. The fat will solidify on top. Remove it before reheating.

   The meat from the broth makes excellent filling for sandwiches or a simple salad dressed with olive oil and lemon. Nothing is wasted in an Italian kitchen.
4. 4

   Cook the pork for the filling

   Cut the pork loin into small cubes. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the pork and cook gently, turning occasionally, until cooked through and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. The pork should not brown deeply. Let it cool completely.

5. 5

   Make the filling

   Cut the mortadella and prosciutto into rough chunks. Place them in a food processor with the cooled pork and any butter from the pan. Pulse until finely ground but not a paste. Transfer to a bowl. Add the Parmigiano, egg, and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly with a fork until the filling holds together. Taste and adjust salt. The mortadella is salty, so add salt sparingly. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to firm.

   The filling must not be wet. If your egg is large and the mixture seems loose, add another tablespoon of Parmigiano. A wet filling makes tortellini that burst when cooked.
6. 6

   Make the pasta dough

   Mound the flour on a wooden board or clean work surface. Make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well. Beat the eggs with a fork, gradually incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well. When the dough becomes too stiff to mix with the fork, begin kneading with your hands. Knead for ten minutes until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. The dough should feel like your earlobe when pressed. Wrap in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

7. 7

   Roll the pasta

   Divide the dough into four pieces. Work with one piece at a time, keeping the rest covered. Roll the dough through a pasta machine, starting at the widest setting, progressively narrowing until you reach the second-thinnest setting. The sheet should be thin enough to see your hand through it. A thick wrapper makes heavy, doughy tortellini.

8. 8

   Cut and fill the tortellini

   Using a round cutter or glass about two inches in diameter, cut circles from the pasta sheet. Work quickly. Fresh pasta dries fast. Place a scant half-teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. Fold the circle in half to form a half-moon, pressing the edges firmly to seal and pushing out any air. Wrap the half-moon around your index finger, points meeting, and press them together. Slide the tortellino off your finger. The result should resemble a small ring with a pointed crown.

   Traditional tortellini are small. Very small. A Bolognese grandmother makes them so tiny that hundreds would fit in a serving spoon. Yours will be larger, and that is acceptable for a home cook, but resist the urge to make them too big. Smaller is always better here.
9. 9

   Dry the tortellini briefly

   Arrange the formed tortellini in a single layer on a flour-dusted tray or clean kitchen towels. Let them dry at room temperature for 30 minutes to one hour before cooking. This firms the seal and prevents them from opening in the broth. Turn them once during this time.

10. 10

    Cook and serve

    Bring the strained brodo to a gentle simmer in a large pot. It must not boil vigorously or the tortellini will break. Add the tortellini and cook until they float and the pasta is tender, four to five minutes. Ladle into warm shallow bowls, ensuring each portion has plenty of both broth and tortellini. Pass Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table. Nothing else belongs in the bowl.

    Once the tortellini are sauced in their broth, serve immediately. Invite your guests to put off talking and start eating. Tortellini wait for no one.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out a proper capon from a butcher who raises them. The brodo from a capon has a richness and color that no young chicken can match. If you cannot find capon, use an old stewing hen and add extra chicken backs for body.
• •The filling improves after resting overnight in the refrigerator. The flavors marry and the texture firms. Make it the day before you plan to shape the tortellini.
• •Fresh tortellini can be frozen on a tray in a single layer, then transferred to bags. Cook directly from frozen, adding one minute to the cooking time. They keep for two months. This allows you to make a large batch when you have time.
• •Never serve tortellini in brodo with anything in the bowl except broth, pasta, and grated Parmigiano. No vegetables. No herbs floating on top. The brodo is the sauce. Trust the tradition.

Advance Preparation

• •The brodo should be made one to two days ahead. Refrigerate it overnight so the fat solidifies and can be easily removed. The flavor deepens with time.
• •The filling can be made two days ahead and refrigerated. It actually improves with resting.
• •Shaped tortellini can be frozen for up to two months. Freeze them in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to freezer bags. Cook directly from frozen.
• •The pasta dough can rest, covered, at room temperature for up to two hours, or refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before rolling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 350g)