I SAID that I would be making Tortelloni and Tortellini soon and on Sunday that is precisely what happened. (Unless I'm trying to be very specific, all future reference to either pasta will be "tortelli".) I had leftover squid ink pasta dough in the freezer and brought it out to thaw in the fridge on Friday, went to the fish market on Saturday and bought a few things for this dish as well as some tuna and skate for dinner on Saturday night. It always amazes me when I successfully leave a fish store with at least 5 different types of fish (including shellfish) without having spent more than $20.00 for the lot!
In any event, let's talk about these tortelli. They are tiny pieces of dough, squares actually, hand cut, which are then filled with any variety of stuffings and formed into a shape that is supposed to look like Venus's navel and I suppose in a way they do. I could say that it is more for special occasions that one would make these at home (Christmas, Easter, a birthday meal), but one could argue that just making them from beginning to end with your very own hands is special occasion enough; it certainly is for me! In Bologna, tortelli of any kind is ubiquitous and tortellini are usually filled with veal. In Mantova, any traditional Christmas meal worth its salt begins with Tortelli alla Zucca (pumpkin stuffing, then cooked and dressed in melted butter with sage, or dressed with panna (cream), butter, sage, with pignoli and raisins). Tortelloni, the larger version can be stuffed with cheese (most often Ricotta and Parmiggiano), meat, vegetables or a combination of all three, but here is where you run into the danger of masking flavors instead of showcasing one or two together. The possibilities of stuffings are endless, however; especially if you are imaginative on how to make use of vegetables and leftover cuts of meat. The paradox to all of this is that even though these are complicated and labor intensive, keeping it simple is key: less ingredients help to bring out the flavors and aromas that are already there; you want to be able to taste the ink in the pasta, the filling and all the ingredients as well as the sauce you put on it.
I first saw this particular recipe in Katy Caldese's cookbook Cook Italy which is a fabulous compendium of some of the most typical foods from all over the Italian countryside. This black pasta, however, has a more Southern and Sicilian bent to it, as it uses tomato, a tiny bit of hot pepper and shellfish for its sauce and the stuffing is made from chopped shrimp, chopped tuna belly, a little tomato and saffron and ricotta cheese. Are you salivating yet? It takes practice - and time - making these and I don't do it so very often, so every time that I do make these, it's not exactly like the first time but there is a bit of cajoling required.
I first saw this particular recipe in Katy Caldese's cookbook Cook Italy which is a fabulous compendium of some of the most typical foods from all over the Italian countryside. This black pasta, however, has a more Southern and Sicilian bent to it, as it uses tomato, a tiny bit of hot pepper and shellfish for its sauce and the stuffing is made from chopped shrimp, chopped tuna belly, a little tomato and saffron and ricotta cheese. Are you salivating yet? It takes practice - and time - making these and I don't do it so very often, so every time that I do make these, it's not exactly like the first time but there is a bit of cajoling required.
As you can see from the photograph above, mine are not terrible but they aren't exactly what Marcella Hazan* would give a rousing array of praise.
Please refer to my blog entry of September 5th for instructions on making black pasta dough. Making the tortellini and tortelloni requires doing it in small batches. Using a pastry blade or a large kitchen knife, cut off an ample piece of dough which you can mold into a flat disc. If you are going to roll the dough out by hand use a small rolling pin instead of a large one as it will give you better control in stretching. If you are using a hand cranked machine, roll the dough out into a very long and thin rectangular piece of pasta which should measure about 14x4 inches. Cut the strip lengthwise in two pieces and let to air dry for about 10 minutes. Continue to roll out dough but always keep the ball of dough in a bowl covered with a damp towel. I've recently seen a piece of pasta dough in an article in Bon Appetit where the cook (not an Italian) wraps the dough in plastic wrap while rolling out sheets. It is unfortunate for her because one immediately sees that the plastic is not only retaining but adding moisture to the dough, which negates the entire method surrounding "air-dried" pasta. So, unless you're going to freeze the dough, NEVER use plastic wrap with hand made egg pasta.
So, for the filling you will need:
3 tbs. olive oil
1 very small onion or a shallot, minced
1 tiny clove of garlic, minced to a paste
8-10 small shrimp, deveined, shelled and chopped
4 tbs. tuna or tuna belly chopped
2 tsp. leftover tomato sauce used in a previous meal with fish
8 oz. fresh ricotta cheese
1 egg and 2 egg yolks beaten together
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup Grana Padano.
Salt and pepper
Heat the oil over moderately high heat saute the onion and the garlic. Add the shrimp and the tuna and cook gently over a low flame. Add he tomato sauce and correct seasoning if necessary. Let the liquid evaporate so everything comes together as one mass. Turn off heat and let cool.
Meanwhile, take the ricotta, the eggs, nutmeg and Grana and mix well with a wooden spoon or a pastry blender. When the tomato and fish mixture is cooled add that and mix well. Let rest for about 15 minutes.
When making the tortellini or tortelloni you should use a ruler to calculate measurements when cutting the pasta. Ideally you want a perfect square (for tortellini about 1-1/2 x1-1/2 inches; for tortelloni about 2-1/2 or 3 inches on all sides). Tortelloni requires less pieces per person (6 tops) whereas tortellini would be served in greater quantities since they are so small (perhaps a dozen). The thing here though, is this: tortellini is almost alwasy served in a rich stock made from meat or poultry, most often veal (especially in Bologna!). Since our scope is somewhat less orthodox, the sauce will be a shellfish tomato sauce made with clams and saffron. And remember this: no cheese on pasta with fish or seafood. To Italians, this would mar if not completely obliterate any taste of the sea found in the dish being eaten.
To make the tortelli, cut equal squares from one of the strips of pasta and have a little bowl of milk ready at the side to dip you finger in and line 2 of the edges of the square with a very little bit of milk. Use a demitasse spoon and place a small dollop of stuffing mixture directly in the center of the square. Fold over the dough into a triangle and press firmly so all edges are sealed. Lift the triangle and connect the two bottom corners of the triangle. While holding the corners with your thumb. Fold over the top corner of the triangle so the corner faces out and on the opposite side of the other two connected corners. What you get should resemble a little navel or a cap. Continue to make the tortelli until all of the filling is used.
At this point, you can let them air dry for several hours, turning them periodically so they dry evenly before cooking and serving. If you don't intend to use them the day you make them, freeze them in a flat box like plastic container. Do NOT use a ZipLock bag - they will be crushed.
Tomato Sauce with Shellfish
pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)
3-4 tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion minced
Several strands Saffron or a pinch of powdered
1/4 cup white wine
2 12oz. cans chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. fresh chopped thyme
3 tbs. fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 doz. clams (Little Necks work well here)
Heat the oil in a hot pan and, if using, add the pepper flakes and allow to heat through. Add the garlic and the onion and sauté until soft but not browned. Dissolve the saffron in the white wine and add that to the pan. Let reduce to barely 2 tbs. Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil and reduce heat to moderately low. Stir in the thyme and the parsley and let cook and reduce by about a third of the volume. Add the clams and cover the pan and steam in the tomato liquid for about 20 minutes. I've found, this year in particular, that clams in general took longer to cook and open than in my previous experience. This may not sound as important as it really should. Shellfish, being the last thing one puts into the pot before serving, shouldn't be overcooked as it will get tough, so your timing with regard to the steaming and the boiling of water and cooking time for the pasta is crucial here.
After adding the clams, immediately put a large covered pot of water on a high flame and bring to the boil as quickly as possible. Once the water starts to boil, take a handful of Kosher salt and put in the water and add the tortelli. Stir the pot once or twice to ensure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot, cover and let the water return to the boil. Uncover the pot once the water regains a rolling boil, reduce heat by about half so you still have a gentle boil. The tortelli will float up to the surface, but, like gnocchi, allow them to cook for 3-4 minutes so the stuffing is thoroughly cooked before removing with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl or platter.
When the clams have opened, remove the flesh from the shells and put the clams back into the sauce. Stir well and dress the pasta with the sauce and serve immediately.
Buon appetito!
* I just finished reading her autobiography, Amarcord and will only say that if you are at all interested in Italian cooking as well as learning or experiencing vicariously the sounds and flavors of Italy in all its aspects, this is the book to read. Her descriptions of how Italians live, eat - and do business! - are highly charged accounts of life on a very high and passionate pitch! The stories about her adventures as she made several grand gastronomic gallops throughout the globe are really quite wonderful.
Please refer to my blog entry of September 5th for instructions on making black pasta dough. Making the tortellini and tortelloni requires doing it in small batches. Using a pastry blade or a large kitchen knife, cut off an ample piece of dough which you can mold into a flat disc. If you are going to roll the dough out by hand use a small rolling pin instead of a large one as it will give you better control in stretching. If you are using a hand cranked machine, roll the dough out into a very long and thin rectangular piece of pasta which should measure about 14x4 inches. Cut the strip lengthwise in two pieces and let to air dry for about 10 minutes. Continue to roll out dough but always keep the ball of dough in a bowl covered with a damp towel. I've recently seen a piece of pasta dough in an article in Bon Appetit where the cook (not an Italian) wraps the dough in plastic wrap while rolling out sheets. It is unfortunate for her because one immediately sees that the plastic is not only retaining but adding moisture to the dough, which negates the entire method surrounding "air-dried" pasta. So, unless you're going to freeze the dough, NEVER use plastic wrap with hand made egg pasta.
So, for the filling you will need:
3 tbs. olive oil
1 very small onion or a shallot, minced
1 tiny clove of garlic, minced to a paste
8-10 small shrimp, deveined, shelled and chopped
4 tbs. tuna or tuna belly chopped
2 tsp. leftover tomato sauce used in a previous meal with fish
8 oz. fresh ricotta cheese
1 egg and 2 egg yolks beaten together
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup Grana Padano.
Salt and pepper
Heat the oil over moderately high heat saute the onion and the garlic. Add the shrimp and the tuna and cook gently over a low flame. Add he tomato sauce and correct seasoning if necessary. Let the liquid evaporate so everything comes together as one mass. Turn off heat and let cool.
Meanwhile, take the ricotta, the eggs, nutmeg and Grana and mix well with a wooden spoon or a pastry blender. When the tomato and fish mixture is cooled add that and mix well. Let rest for about 15 minutes.
When making the tortellini or tortelloni you should use a ruler to calculate measurements when cutting the pasta. Ideally you want a perfect square (for tortellini about 1-1/2 x1-1/2 inches; for tortelloni about 2-1/2 or 3 inches on all sides). Tortelloni requires less pieces per person (6 tops) whereas tortellini would be served in greater quantities since they are so small (perhaps a dozen). The thing here though, is this: tortellini is almost alwasy served in a rich stock made from meat or poultry, most often veal (especially in Bologna!). Since our scope is somewhat less orthodox, the sauce will be a shellfish tomato sauce made with clams and saffron. And remember this: no cheese on pasta with fish or seafood. To Italians, this would mar if not completely obliterate any taste of the sea found in the dish being eaten.
To make the tortelli, cut equal squares from one of the strips of pasta and have a little bowl of milk ready at the side to dip you finger in and line 2 of the edges of the square with a very little bit of milk. Use a demitasse spoon and place a small dollop of stuffing mixture directly in the center of the square. Fold over the dough into a triangle and press firmly so all edges are sealed. Lift the triangle and connect the two bottom corners of the triangle. While holding the corners with your thumb. Fold over the top corner of the triangle so the corner faces out and on the opposite side of the other two connected corners. What you get should resemble a little navel or a cap. Continue to make the tortelli until all of the filling is used.
At this point, you can let them air dry for several hours, turning them periodically so they dry evenly before cooking and serving. If you don't intend to use them the day you make them, freeze them in a flat box like plastic container. Do NOT use a ZipLock bag - they will be crushed.
Tomato Sauce with Shellfish
pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)
3-4 tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion minced
Several strands Saffron or a pinch of powdered
1/4 cup white wine
2 12oz. cans chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. fresh chopped thyme
3 tbs. fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 doz. clams (Little Necks work well here)
Heat the oil in a hot pan and, if using, add the pepper flakes and allow to heat through. Add the garlic and the onion and sauté until soft but not browned. Dissolve the saffron in the white wine and add that to the pan. Let reduce to barely 2 tbs. Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil and reduce heat to moderately low. Stir in the thyme and the parsley and let cook and reduce by about a third of the volume. Add the clams and cover the pan and steam in the tomato liquid for about 20 minutes. I've found, this year in particular, that clams in general took longer to cook and open than in my previous experience. This may not sound as important as it really should. Shellfish, being the last thing one puts into the pot before serving, shouldn't be overcooked as it will get tough, so your timing with regard to the steaming and the boiling of water and cooking time for the pasta is crucial here.
After adding the clams, immediately put a large covered pot of water on a high flame and bring to the boil as quickly as possible. Once the water starts to boil, take a handful of Kosher salt and put in the water and add the tortelli. Stir the pot once or twice to ensure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot, cover and let the water return to the boil. Uncover the pot once the water regains a rolling boil, reduce heat by about half so you still have a gentle boil. The tortelli will float up to the surface, but, like gnocchi, allow them to cook for 3-4 minutes so the stuffing is thoroughly cooked before removing with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl or platter.
When the clams have opened, remove the flesh from the shells and put the clams back into the sauce. Stir well and dress the pasta with the sauce and serve immediately.
Buon appetito!
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