Tortelli di Erbetta (Spinach Tortelli)

This month we take you to the region of Emilia Romagna for a taste of Parma, from Chef Micaela, who teaches a one-day cooking class in Parma. Parma has long been known as one of the premier food cities in Italy, It is home, after all, to such amazing ingredients as Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano (Parmesan). It, and the entire region of Emilia Romagna, is known for its many types of stuffed pastas, one of which you can make following this simple recipe. “Tortelli” is a sort of generic term for stuffed pasta, as you will find tortelli of different shapes.

Learn more about our one-day cooking classes in Italy with Micaela.

Tortelli di Erbetta (Spinach Tortelli)

Serves: 4
Prep time: 60 minutes
Cook time: 3 minutes
Cook method: Boil

Ingredients for the pasta:

• ½ kg of flour
• 4 whole eggs
• 3 yolks
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• a bit of salt

Ingredients for the filling:

• 100 g mascarpone cheese
• 700 g ricotta cheese
• 70 g Parmesan cheese
• 3 whole eggs
• 50 g spinach leaves (boiled, chopped and seared in butter)
• nutmeg
• pepper
• salt

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 50 g Parmesan cheese
• sage
• 150 g melted butter

Instructions
1. Pasta: Place the flour on the counter top or on a pasta board and make a well in the center. Put the other ingredients in the center, then mix all ingredients together and work the dough until the mixture is homogeneous and elastic.

2. Let the dough rest covered with a damp cloth or (better) in a plastic food bag.

3. For the filling: mix all the ingredients and season to taste.

4. Prepare the tortelli by rolling thin sheets of pasta, adding a small amount of stuffing to each one, and folding the pasta over and sealing the edges.

5. Boil the tortelli in a large amount of salted water – they will cook quickly. Serve with Parmesan cheese and melted butter with sage.

Learn about another type of Tortelli – Tortelli Lucchesi.

Find out more about the Emilia-Romagna region in our video:

By Peg Kern

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