Tortelli with Parmigiano Reggiano, Ricotta, and Lemon
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Dinner
Cuisine
Italian
Author:
AFO
Servings
3
Prep Time
1 hour 5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Tortelli are a great for so many reasons. They are universally loved by all- which means they are guaranteed to make your kids and your guests happy. They are easy to store in the freezer- when you need them for a quick meal, you'll only need to boil them in water for 4-5 minutes. Finally, they are endlessly versatile. They can be made with any seasonal vegetable, so they are always in season.
The only requirement- use real, imported parmesan cheese from Italy and make the dough at home.
Note- the more eggs you use, the more tortelli you will need to make. Tortelli is perfectly proportional: for each egg, you will need 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of filling. So, if you want to make tortelli for a full meal for 8 people, you will need 8 eggs, 800g of flour and 800g of filing. Another reason we love tortelli!
Ingredients
-
50 grams of grated Parmigiano Reggiano (about 2oz)
-
250 grams of Ricotta cheese, drained through a sieve if possible
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3 eggs
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300 grams of flour (use a kitchen scale if possible)
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Zest of 1 lemon
-
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Pour the flour onto a clean, large surface and form a circle. Then, use your hands to form a well in the middle.
Crack the eggs into the well and use a fork to scramble the eggs. Gradually mix the flour into the egg mixture to form a dough. If you need help visualizing, we like this video from the Buona Pasta Club.
Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes, or until it is no longer sticky to touch, and form into a ball. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
In the mean time, combine the ricotta cheese, the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and the zest of one lemon in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
After 30 minutes have passed, take out the dough ball and cut it into four pieces. Keep one piece out, and place the other three dough pieces back into the kitchen towel until they are ready to be rolled out.
Use a pasta machine, or a rolling pine, to roll out the dough piece into a long rectangle, approximately 1/16 inch or thin enough to see your fingers but without tearing.
Scoop ½ tablespoon of the filling and continue to place scoops approximately one inch apart, in a line, down the bottom half of the long side of the rectangle.
Fold the top half of the dough over the half with the scoops of filling, and carefully ensure the sides are aligned.
Using your fingers, push down the down around the scoops of fingers to push out any air around the filling. Then, using a knife or a special tortelli cutting tool, cut the tortelli into squares.
Sprinkle tortelli with dough to aid in drying. Repeat with three other dough pieces.
Boil a pot of water and add a teaspoon of salt and olive oil to the water. Drop tortelli in boiling water and cook until all float to the top, approximately 4-5 minutes.
Spoon tortelli out and toss in a butter-sage sauce. Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano on top. For any pieces you do not cook, store in a freezer-ready bag and keep for up to 6 months.