TORTELLINI : Tortellini are very similar to Cappelletti –                                                                       the only difference is Cappelletti are made from squares of pasta and tortellini are made from circles and have different meat stuffing.

Tortellini is a ring shaped stuffed pasta that is typically filled with meat, cheese or vegetables.                Tortelloni is a larger version of Tortellini. It is a traditional pasta in the Bologna region of Italy and is often served in broth.
Where does the name tortellini come from? It is credited to come from the word “torta”                             which means it resembles a cake.
                                      ♥ February 13th: National Tortellini Day

Cappelletti Filling
1/2 pound Taleggio
1/2 pound Ricotta
1/3 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano
1 small garlic clove, minced (~1 teaspoon)
1 small shallot, minced (~2 teaspoons)
pinch of chile flakes
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest (~ 1/2 lemon)
salt and pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until well combined. Place the mixture in a piping bag.

Make the Dough
2 cups (360 grams) 00 flour
1 teaspoon (5 grams) kosher salt
2 large eggs (100 grams)
5 to 6 egg yolks (90 grams)
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

Mix the flour and salt. Place the flour on a dry, clean work surface, forming a mound. Create a well in the middle (with the bottom of a measuring cup).

Slowly add the eggs, egg yolks, and olive oil. With a fork, gently beat the eggs, be careful not to disturb the walls of the flour. Slowly begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well, into the egg mixture. Continue mixing the flour with the eggs until you have a solid mass.

At this point, with your hands, start folding and forming the dough, incorporating the rest of the flour. Use a spray bottle to spritz and moisten the dough until you have a stiff, solid mass (removing any dry clumps of flour).

Knead the dough. Drive the heel of your hand into the dough, rotate the dough 45 degrees and repeat for 10-15 minutes, until the dough is firm and bouncy and smooth, silk-like in texture. Tightly wrap the dough in plastic and let rest 30 minutes.

To form the Cappelletti

Roll out the dough very thin (second to the last setting on my KitchenAid pasta attachment). Cut out 2 1/2-inch rounds, mist gently with water (with a spray bottle), and pipe the filling (about a teaspoon per round).

Next, it’s time to shape them:

1. Fold the round in half, to form a half moon, pressing out as much air as possible
2. Position the half moon, so that the curved part is facing you, the straight part away from you. Bring the edges together and pinch to seal (refer to photos below for guidance).

Place the cappelletti on a sheet pan sprinkled with semolina to prevent sticking.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the cappelletti and cook (about 2 minutes) until al dente.

NOTES:

  • Cappelletti is traditionally served in a broth. Brodo is the Italian word for broth.
  • You can use a food processor or KitchenAid mixer to mix the dough, but if you want to go old-school, like an Italian grandmother.
  • The cappelletti have just the right texture and chew.  And when you bite into them, you get a delightful burst of cheese.  It’s the perfect way to start a meal (primi or first course).  Cappelletti freeze well and can go straight from the freezer into a pot of salted boiling water.
  • Stuffed the cappelletti with a combination of Taleggio (a semi-soft, washed rind, smear-ripened, cow’s milk, Italian cheese), Ricotta, and Parmesan-Reggiano, garlic, shallot, lemon zest, and fresh thyme, and served them in a Parmesan brodo.