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The Dumpling 100 · make it at home

Tortellini in brodo (Bologna's tortellini in broth)

4 hr including broth, about 2 hr hands-on · About 250 tortellini, 6 people

The Christmas bowl of Bologna: tiny pork, mortadella, prosciutto and Parmigiano tortellini in a clear capon or chicken broth. Rolling them is a family afternoon; the broth does the rest.

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The real one

You need

• For the broth: 1 small capon or 1.5 kg (3 lb) chicken, 500 g (1 lb) beef shin or brisket, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 1 tomato, salt, 4 liters (4 qt) cold water
• For the filling: 100 g (3 1/2 oz) pork loin, diced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 100 g (3 1/2 oz) prosciutto crudo
• 100 g (3 1/2 oz) mortadella
• 150 g (1 1/2 cups) Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated, plus more to serve
• 1 egg
• a pinch of nutmeg
• For the pasta: 300 g (2 1/3 cups) 00 flour
• 3 eggs

How to make it

1. Make the broth (3 hr): Put the meats in a big pot with the cold water and bring slowly to a simmer, skimming the foam. Add the vegetables and a little salt and simmer very gently, barely bubbling, uncovered, for 3 hours. Strain, chill if you have time and lift off some of the fat, leaving a little for flavor.
2. Make the filling (15 min, plus cooling): Brown the pork in the butter over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until cooked, then cool. Grind or pulse the pork, prosciutto and mortadella very fine in a food processor. Mix with the Parmigiano, egg and nutmeg into a smooth paste. Chill.
3. Make the pasta (15 min, plus 30 min rest): Mound the flour, crack the eggs into a well and work into a dough, then knead 10 minutes until smooth. Wrap and rest 30 minutes.
4. Roll (15 min a batch): Roll a quarter of the dough very thin, about 0.8 mm (see your hand through it), with a pin or a machine (second to last setting). Keep the rest wrapped.
5. Cut and fill (1 hr): Cut 3 cm (1 1/4 in) squares. Put a pea-size ball of filling in each. Fold into a triangle, press the edges, then wrap the two bottom corners around your fingertip and pinch them together, folding the tip back. Work fast so the pasta stays soft. Set on a floured tray.
6. Cook (3 min): Bring the broth to a gentle boil (a hard boil breaks them), drop in the tortellini and cook 2 to 3 minutes until they float and the pasta is tender.
7. Serve: Ladle into warm bowls with plenty of broth, and pass more Parmigiano.

Tips

• In Bologna, cooking tortellini in water or serving them with cream is a known crime; broth only.
• Freeze on floured trays and bag; cook from frozen in the broth for 4 to 5 minutes.

Chef Amazing's own home version of tortellini in brodo, in our words; not any restaurant's recipe.