Tortelloni

Tortelloni are very big tortellini. I like to fill them with the same Ripieno di Ricotta that we use for Ravioli, but I use the parmigiano-reggiano version of the filling.

I prefer to roll out the dough using a long rolling pin as described in Pasta al Mattarello. I like to roll it out thin, like 9 Post-It notes (9*0.05mm=0.45mm) as recommended by pasta guru Evan Funke. My goal with tortellone is to showcase the filling, not the dough. With ravioli, the dough is a little thicker.

The recommended square size to cut for each tortellone is 2.75" to 3.5". I like to use 3.25". I measure it out a little, but eyeball the actual cutting. I guess a straight edge could help here.

The technique for folding and sealing each tortellone is described below. It's a little harder than making ravioli, but very easy once you get that hang of it.

In terms of sauce, I prefer a light sauce, such as Sugo al Burro e Salvia or Sugo al Limone. You can also cook them in chicken broth or beef broth.

Dough

Pasta all’Uovo (00 flour recipe) with 500 g flour, prepared until it tells you to return here

 

Filling

Ripieno di Ricotta (parmigiano-reggiano recipe) scaled to 1 lb of ricotta, refrigerated until dough is ready for filling

 

Sauce

Sugo al Burro e Salvia OR Sugo al Limone OR simply olive oil and parmigiano-reggiano.

 

1. Use the techniques described at Pasta al Mattarello to roll out the dough using a long rolling pin to the thickness of 9 Post-It notes (0.45mm). Then return here.

 

2. Trim the sides of the dough to make it more square.

3. Cut one 3.25"-wide strip of dough then cover the rest of the dough with a piece of plastic to keep it from drying out.

4. Cut this strip into 3.25" squares.

5. Add filling to each square.

6. Spray a few squares at a time with some water to help seal them (in a bit).

6. Looking at the square as a diamond, fold the bottom point of the diamond to the top point of the diamond. You will end up with a triangle.

7. Pick up the triangle, with the top point up, and use your fingers to seal the left and right sides. Squeeze them until they are back to single thickness of the dough.

8. Continuing to hold the triangle with top point up, use your fingers on each side to curve the two sides away from you. This helps the tortellone end up looking like an ear.

9. Take the bottom left and bottom right points of the triangle and fold them straight down toward each other (i.e., on the same plane as the rest of the triangle). Squeeze the point at which they meet until it is back to single thickness of the dough.

10. I like to also create some extra space within the ring/loop.

11. Until I can create better pictures, here's a video that shows the technique pretty well. Obviously, this is not the only way to do it.

12. Stack the tortelloni one-high (only) in a pan lined with wax or parchment paper.

13. Cover with aluminum foil and freeze if not using that day.

14. When it's time to cook them, add a palmfull of salt to the boiling water. They are close to done once they flow back to the top. You can test one by cutting off the point a little and tasting, then throwing it back in the water.

15. Recommended sauces are described above.

16. Serve with grated parmiggiano-reggiano on the side and maybe a little on top.