Tortellini alla Bolognese
Ingredients:
For the Fresh Pasta Dough:
7 oz (200 grams) plain flour, preferably Italian type 00, plus extra for dusting
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt
For the Tortellini Filling:
1 oz (25 grams) butter
2 oz (50 grams) minced veal
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
3 oz (80 grams) prosciutto, diced
1 and 1/2 oz (40 grams) mortadella, diced
1 egg, lightly beaten
For the Tomato Sauce:
9 oz (250 grams) canned tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, peeled
Pinch of sugar
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 fresh basil leaves, torn
Salt
Directions:
Prepare the Fresh Pasta Dough:
Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a mound on a work surface.
Make a well in the center and add the eggs.
Using your fingers, gradually incorporate the flour, then knead for about 10 minutes.
If the mixture is too soft, add a little extra flour; if it is too firm, add a little water.
Shape the dough into a ball and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface or use a pasta machine to make a thin sheet.
Prepare the Tomato Sauce:
Put the tomatoes with their can juice, if using canned tomatoes, into a saucepan and add the sugar, garlic and a pinch of salt.
Cover and cook over a very low heat for about 30 minutes without stirring.
Mash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and, if using canned tomatoes, cook for a further 15 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to cool.
Stir in the olive oil and basil.
Prepare the Tortellini Filling:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the veal and cook over a high heat, stirring frequently, until browned.
Transfer to a bowl, leave to cool, then stir in the Parmesan cheese, prosciutto, mortadella and egg.
Roll out the pasta dough into a thin sheet, put small mounds of the filling at regular intervals on the sheet and cut it into squares.
Fold the squares corner to corner into triangles, then wrap each triangle around your index finger, press the points together and gently push the rest of the dough backwards to make the classic tortellini shape.
Make 20 tortellini per person. Serve with tomato sauce. Serves 4.