Everyone is talking about the Bolognese tortellini but we want to tell a little about this valid alternative? Tortellini as we now know, must be served in broth! Any Bolognese would be scandalized by the idea of savoring them with a different condiment, such as ragù! So how do we solve this dilemma? Here come the tortelloni!
They have the same shape as tortellini but are larger so as in the case of tortellini, the pastry must be cut in the shape of a square inside which the filling that is traditionally lean is inserted: that is, ricotta, parsley, parmesan and nutmeg. Alternatively, spinach can be added; this however is a Modenese variant because spinach is not foreseen by the Bolognese tradition.
Once the correct amount of filling has been added, the edges of the square are joined to form a triangle and finally it is given the typical shape of a tortellino, folding the ends of the triangle towards the bottom. Et Voilà the tortellone is ready!
Once cooked they can be seasoned with butter and sage or with ragout (this time so we allow you to use it!)
A typical Ferrara alternative are pumpkin tortelloni. How are they seasoned? The classic way is always butter and sage, but if you want you can dress them with mushrooms, or white sausage ragù or simple tomato sauce.
Why pumpkin? because it was an economic alternative to meat, it is in fact a typical dish of the peasant tradition. They are usually eaten on Christmas Eve when a "lean" dish is planned.
