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A period dish

Tortellini in Brodo

Small filled pasta served in a clear broth, a dish of feast days in the cities of northern Italy.

Serves 8

Tortellini were said to be modeled on the navel of Venus, and they were made in quantity for the great feast days. The filling was meat and cheese, the broth was capon or beef, and the two together made a dish that was both humble and celebratory.

Ingredients

Produce

  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot

Meat & Poultry

  • 1 lb beef shin
  • 3 lb hen
  • 4 oz prosciutto

Dairy & Eggs

  • 1 cup parmesan
  • 2 eggs

Pantry / Durable

  • 3 cup flour

Spices & Seasoning

  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • salt

Method

  1. Simmer beef and a hen with onion, carrot, and celery to make a clear broth; skim it well and strain.

  2. Chop cooked pork loin and prosciutto and mix them with grated parmesan, egg, and a grating of nutmeg for the filling.

  3. Roll the pasta dough thin, cut it into squares, and place a little filling on each.

  4. Fold each square into a triangle, bring the two corners together, and pinch to seal.

  5. Simmer the tortellini in the broth until they float, then serve them in bowls with the broth and extra cheese.

View a published recipe at Saveur (opens in a new tab)

Served at

A Borgia table in Rome · Rome, Italy

An evening at Fontainebleau · Fontainebleau, France