Make Your Own Tortellini

Step 1 : How to Make Tortellini Dough

Be sure to use Italian Type 00 wheat flour or “double-ground” wheat flour. This flour is suitable for all types of pasta; it’s coarser than other, finer flours and can therefore absorb a lot of moisture. This makes the dough more elastic. If you don’t have Type 00 wheat flour, you can compensate by adding a little olive oil or water to the dough.

Alternatively, the dough can also be made with durum wheat semolina instead of flour, or with a mixture of both—just try out what tastes best to you.

Put the flour in a large bowl and add the salt. Gradually knead the eggs into the flour—first with a wooden spoon, then with your hands. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least half an hour while you prepare the filling.

Step 2 : Tortellini Filling with Spinach

Thaw the frozen spinach leaves and puree them in a food processor or with an immersion blender. Add the cheese (in pieces) and puree it with the spinach. Season to taste with salt, ground pepper, and nutmeg. Then stir in the breadcrumbs until the mixture holds its shape.

Alternatively, you can, of course, use fresh spinach. In that case, simply wash the spinach very thoroughly and then puree it.

Step 3 : Classic Tortellini Filling, Bolognese Style

Chop the veal, pork, mortadella, and Parma ham into small pieces. Then sear the veal and pork in a little butter over high heat for a few minutes. Let cool slightly. Now place the meat and sausage in a food processor and puree everything together with the Parmesan and egg. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Step 4 : Eggplant and Garlic Filling

Prick the eggplant all over with a fork several times and bake it in a preheated oven at 200 °C (convection) for about 30–45 minutes. Turn the eggplant over occasionally. The skin should turn black all over. To let it cool, cut it lengthwise once and set it aside.

Now drain the mozzarella well, pat it dry gently with a kitchen towel, and cut it into cubes. Peel the garlic cloves, then mince them very finely. Finely chop the walnuts and toast them in a pan without oil. Be careful not to let the nuts burn! Add the garlic and walnuts to the mozzarella.

Scoop out the flesh of the cooled eggplant with a spoon and purée it with half of the basil. Mix the eggplant purée with the mozzarella mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 5 : Shaping the Tortellini

Now it’s time to shape the tortellini. Take the tortellini dough out of the refrigerator and roll it out thinly using a pasta machine or a rolling pin. The dough should be about 2–3 millimeters thick. Cut the dough into squares measuring about 4 x 4 centimeters and place a small amount of filling in the center of each square. You can also cut out the tortellini using a round cookie cutter.

Now fold the dough squares over each other, pressing the edges firmly together. Wrap the two ends of the tortellini around your finger, brush them with a little water, and press them together firmly. You can also use beaten egg yolk for brushing.

Step 6 : Cooking Tortellini

Place the rolled, homemade tortellini on a baking sheet brushed with oil. Leave a little space between each tortellini so they don’t stick together. Now add them to boiling water and cook for a few minutes until they float to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon, plate them immediately, and serve. They go well with a classic tomato sauce or a cheese sauce, for example. Tortellini also work well as an ingredient in a casserole.