#tortelli
Tortellone di Zucca
serves 4
Filling:
1 kabocha squash, quartered, seeds cleaned out, roasted dry at 350 F for one hour (sub butternut squash/acorn squash/pumpkin/sweet potato)
1/3 of a nutmeg, 1 all spice berry, ¼ of a star anise, 1 inch of a cinnamon stick; all ground together in a spice grinder
½ c honey
½ c grated parmigiano reggiano
salt to taste
Pasta:
400g tipo 00 flour
240g liquid (4 eggs + water to reach 240g)
Sauce:
20 sage leaves
6 T butter
grated parmigiano reggiano for topping
1. Make the pasta dough by hand or if you must, use a food processor until it comes together. Bring onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour and knead until there are no air bubbles when cut down the center (you want a smooth dough, inside and out). Keep a finger bowl of water + a little extra flour nearby if you need to adjust, but this recipe is usually the perfect amount from the start (weather permitting; i.e. as long as it’s not very hot + humid). Cover the dough and allow to rest for 30 minutes. 2. Spoon out squash filling + discard the skin, and pulse all filling ingredients in a food processor until combined. Taste and adjust as necessary to your liking. 3. If using a pasta machine, roll out dough to the thinnest setting, cut 3"x 3" squares. Place a large spoon of filling at the center of each square, fold in half to make a triangle, pressing all around to secure the filling. Then bring the two bottom points together, pressing until there is no seam left. Place on a sheet pan covered in a kitchen cloth, dusted with flour and continue until all the dough is finished. While forming the tortellone, get a large pot of salted water boiling. (You will only use ½ the filling. Freeze the remainder for your next batch, add chicken stock to it to make a soup, or double the pasta dough, use it all. I like to freeze half the tortellone for a lazy day) 4. When ready to eat, boil tortellone for 4-6 minutes (once they start floating, they still need another 2-3 minutes, i suggest tasting one before bringing them all out to be sure). Reserve at least one mug of pasta water and drain the pasta. 5. Add butter and sage to the same pot, throw in a large splash of pasta water, then the tortellone. Stir on high heat with a wooden spoon until the butter and pasta water have reduced to a glaze and all the pasta is glistening with it. Add more pasta water if necessary. 6. Serve on warm plates, covered in grated parmigiano reggiano.
PASTA TIP: Normally its best to do this with friends and family, the more hands the merrier. If you are few or doing this alone, have a water spray bottle nearby to mist the already-flattened dough occasionally while forming the tortellone, this way you’re sure the dough will not dry out!
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Pork Ragu Parcels
The Italian version of pork soup dumplings.
published in Sweet Paul Magazine Fall 2013
yields about 50
Serves 5
Filling:
3 T olive oil
1 t salt
1.5 lb. Pork back bone
1 c carrot, finely chopped
1 c onion, finely chopped
1 c celery, finely chopped
4 bay leaves
Pasta:
4 c flour
4 eggs
4 T water
4 T olive oil
fruity olive oil to serve
(Pulse pasta ingredients in a food processor until they come together, pour out onto a wood board and knead lightly with your hands for one minute. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes. When ready to use, divide into 4 equal parts.)
1. Season the pork back bone with 1 t salt. 2. Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat, add pork back and brown all over, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. 3. Add carrot, onion, celery, bay leaves and a pinch of salt to the pot, cooking uncovered on medium heat, until tender and golden brown, 20 – 25 minutes. 4. Return pork to the pot, add 4 c water, cover and bring to a simmer. 5. Reduce heat to lowest setting and cook covered for 8 hours. 6. Remove pork from the pot. When cool enough to handle, carefully pick all the meat off the bones . Add the meat back to the pot, and discard the bones. 7. Remove bay leaves, add 1 c water, a knob of butter and a pinch of salt and simmer for another 30 minutes on medium heat. 8. Cool completely and freeze for at least 4 hours to keep juices intact for filling. 9. When ready to assemble, remove ragu from freezer and set aside. 10. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 11. Starting with one piece of the pasta dough, roll out to setting 2 on your pasta machine. 12. Cut into 3 x 2 ½ inch rectangles. 13. Place 1 rounded teaspoon of filling at the center of the rectangles, lightly wet edges with water using the tip of your finger, and bring all four corners up to meet in the center, firmly pinching along the edges to secure filling. 13. Repeat this process with the remaining dough. You will end up with a heaping cup of leftover filling. Freeze for later use, or use the filling as the sauce for an even heartier meal. 14. Boil for 4 minutes, strain and serve immediately drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with maldon sea salt. Serve with hearty greens.
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