Tortellini In Brodo
Ingredients
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- 1 onion – halved
- 2 carrot – peeled
- 2 ribs celery
- 2 1/2 pounds chicken, bone-in – cut into large pieces
- 1 pounds beef shank, bone-in
- 4 quarts water
- kosher salt – for seasoning broth to taste
- 2 1/2 cups 00 flour
- 3 egg – large
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ounces pork loin – cut into 0.5-inch pieces
- 4 ounces prosciutto – chopped
- 4 ounces mortadella – chopped
- 4 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano cheese – finely grated
- 1/4 teaspoons nutmeg – freshly grated
- 1/4 teaspoons black pepper – freshly ground
- 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese – finely grated (for serving)
Instructions
1. Char the onion halves cut-side down in a large stockpot over medium heat until deeply browned, 5–7 minutes.
2. Add the carrots, celery, chicken pieces, beef shank, and water. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat, then skim off any foam.
3. Reduce to low and simmer gently, uncovered or partially covered, until the broth is full-flavored and clear, 3 hours, skimming occasionally; keep the surface at a bare tremble, not a boil.
4. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot; discard solids. Return the clear broth to a gentle simmer and season with kosher salt to taste. Keep hot.
5. Make the dough: Mound the 00 flour on a clean work surface and make a wide well. Crack in the eggs and beat with a fork, gradually drawing in flour until a shaggy dough forms. Knead until smooth and elastic, 8–10 minutes. Wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
6. Cook the pork for the filling: Melt the unsalted butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pork loin and sauté until just cooked through and no longer pink, 3–4 minutes. Spread on a plate to cool completely.
7. Make the filling: In a food processor, add the cooled pork loin, prosciutto, mortadella, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, nutmeg, black pepper, and fine sea salt. Pulse to a very fine, cohesive mixture without turning it pasty, scraping the bowl as needed. To check seasoning, fry a pea-sized bit in a skillet and adjust salt or pepper if needed.
8. Roll the pasta: Cut the rested dough into 2 pieces. Working with one piece at a time (keep the other wrapped), roll with a machine or pin to a very thin sheet about 1/32 inch (0.8 mm). Lay on a lightly floured surface and cover with a towel.
9. Cut and fill: Using a knife or pastry wheel, cut the sheet into 1.25-inch (3 cm) squares. Place a pea-sized mound (about 1/4 teaspoon) of filling in the center of each square.
10. Shape the tortellini: Fold each square into a triangle, pressing out any air and sealing the edges firmly. Wrap the two corners around your fingertip and pinch to seal into a ring. Arrange on a lightly floured tray and cover while you finish the rest.
11. Cook in brodo: Bring the clear broth back to a gentle boil. Add the tortellini and cook until they float and the pasta is tender with a slight bite, 2–4 minutes.
12. Serve: Ladle tortellini and brodo into warm bowls. Serve with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, finely grated (for serving).
Tortellini in Brodo is a delicate marriage of tiny, hand-folded pasta and a clear, rich meat broth. The tortellini are filled with a savory blend of pork loin, prosciutto, mortadella, Parmigiano Reggiano, and a whiff of nutmeg, giving a concentrated, elegant flavor in each bite. Served in steaming broth, the texture is plush yet buoyant, with the cheese and cured meats perfuming the soup without overpowering it.
Hailing from Emilia-Romagna—especially Bologna and Modena—this dish is a winter and holiday staple, often gracing Christmas tables. Legend links the tortellini shape to the “navel of Venus,” a nod to their distinctive ring form. Over centuries, the preparation has remained a regional emblem of craftsmanship, reflecting the area’s devotion to sfoglia (egg pasta) and long-simmered brodo made from poultry and beef.