Tortellini in brodo - Tortellini in broth

8 servings

Emilia-Romagna is the Italian capital of stuffed, fresh egg pastas and at Christmastime, perhaps no dish is more traditional than the famous Bolognese primi, tortellini in brodo. With a homemade broth and handmade pasta filled with pork, prosciutto, mortadella and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, the region's most famous ingredients, making the soup from scratch is a labor of love. The work, however, can be spread out as both the broth and the tortellini can be made ahead and frozen.
Ingredients


BROTH
1 1/2 pounds beef brisket or chuck, cut into 2 pieces
1 pound beef shank bones
1 (4- to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 6 pieces
1 large white onion, peeled and quartered
1 carrot, cut into 3 pieces
1 celery stalk, cut into 3 pieces
1 tablespoon salt
4 1/2 quarts cold water

TORTELLINI:
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or "00" flour
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 1/2 ounces pork loin or shoulder, cut into cubes
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
2 fresh sage leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 1/2 ounces prosciutto, roughly diced
3 1/2 ounces mortadella, roughly diced
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions



FOR BROTH:
In a large stockpot, combine beef, beef shank bones, chicken, onion, carrot, celery and salt. Cover with the 4 1/2 quarts water and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming foam and fat from surface. Reduce to gentlest simmer and cook for 4 1/2 hours.

Strain twice, first through a fine mesh sieve, then through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Let broth cool. Skim fat from surface. Season to taste with salt. Broth can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.

FOR TORTELLINI:
On a clean work surface, mound flour; create a well in center. Add 3 of the eggs, oil and generous pinch salt. Using a fork, gently break up yolks and slowly incorporate flour from the inside rim of the well. Continue until liquid is absorbed, then knead until dough forms a complete mass. Continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes more. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. While dough rests, make filling.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat until it foams and subsides. Add pork, onion, sage leaves, rosemary and generous pinch pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add wine and continue to cook for 10 minutes more.

Transfer pork and any liquid from skillet to a food processor (discard onion and herbs); add prosciutto and mortadella and pulse until mixture is very finely chopped but not puréed to a paste. Transfer filling to a bowl. Add cheese, remaining egg and nutmeg; stir to combine well.

Divide dough into 3 pieces. Using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface or a pasta machine, roll the pieces of dough into sheets, about 1/8-inch-thick. Cut the sheets into 1 1/2 -inch squares (keep dough, sheets and squares covered with a clean dish towel while rolling and cutting to avoid drying).

Place scant 1/2 teaspoon filling in center of each square. Fold into triangles, with one top point slightly further than the other. Press any air from around filling, then press to seal edges (a drop of cold water can be used to help seal edges, if necessary).

Fold base of triangle to create a cuff, then bring points of long side together to form a fairly tight ring. Press to seal. Keep tortellini covered with a clean dish towel until ready to cook.(The tortellini can be prepared and frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze freshly made tortellini, freeze them first on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer tortellini to well-sealed, airtight plastic freezer bags and keep frozen until ready to cook. Do not defrost before cooking.)

To serve, bring broth to a low boil; avoid a rolling boil, which may cause the pasta to open up. In batches of 15 to 20, cook the tortellini in the broth until they rise to the surface and are tender, about 3 minutes; frozen pasta may take another minute or two longer.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer tortellini to a colander to drain, then transfer to serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth over tortellini and serve immediately.