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    Home » Cooking Stuff » Mains

    How to Make Tortellini. The filling, the shaping, the swearing.

    March 11, 2013 by Karen 65 Comments

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    Yes, making tortellini is hard. Deal with it. It's no harder than living for 9 months in a stomach and shooting out through a birth canal and you all got through that, so put your tortellini mitts on and meet me in the second paragraph.

    Wood counter scattered with homemade tortellini.
    Jump to Recipe

    Good. I'm glad you took a leap of faith and decided to meet me here. You're strong, resilient, and adventurous. YOU are going to make T O R T E L L I N I. Which makes you better than anyone else. It makes you WONDERFUL.

    Making tortellini is like bungee jumping. You only need to do it once to say you did it. Then, if you like it ... you can do it again. If you don't like it, you at least have bragging rights. I think you'll be surprised at how many times you can bring up the subject of making your own tortellini at dinner parties, soccer practices or even during a breast exam (prostate exam for the fellas).

    Now that I've shown you how to make pasta dough, and how to roll it out all you need now is the traditional meat filling for the tortellini and a lesson on how to shape them.

    You can use this same filling for making ravioli. But then you wouldn't have the honour of tortellini maker bestowed upon you. Your choice.

    The Cuisinart (food processor) is important in this filling. You cannot just use the ground meat. It needs to be like a soft paste. If you don't have a food processor you can try doing small batches with a stick blender if you have one but I'm honestly not sure how that would work.

    Kay. Now the fun part. We're going to make tortellini! Roll up your sleeves and pick out your swear words.

    Lay out your rolled pasta dough (for tortellini I use setting #7) and cut the ends square.

    Flat sheets of pasta laid on a wood pizza peel.

     

    Using a pizza cutter cut your dough into widths of 1½ - 2" in length, then again crosswise so you have squares of pasta.    Put the scraps into a plastic baggie or under plastic wrap to roll out again later.

    Flat sheets of pasta cut into slices, on a wood pizza peel.

    Take your filling out of the refrigerator and get a tiny spoon.  A ¼ teaspoon works well.

    White bowl with tortellini filling, homemade pasta in background.

    Using your teaspoon shape the filling into small balls and place them in the centre of the squares.

    Strips of homemade pasta cut into squares with a ¼ teaspoon of tortellini filling on top.

    Don't be tempted to use too much filling.

    Close up shot of tortellini filling on squares of homemade pasta.

     

    Fold the dough in half to form a triangle over the filling.  Gently press all the air out.  This step is very important.  If you don't do it  your tortellini will break when you boil them.

    Shaping tortellini into triangles on wood board.

    Take a triangle of tortellini and squish the filling upwards with your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon.  Just a little bit.

    Close up shot of hand forming homemade tortellini.

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    It will look kind of like the Flying Nun's hat.  I say that with all the confidence of someone who has never seen the Flying Nun, but I'm sure you know what I mean.

    Partly formed tortellini resting on fingertip.

    Stick the end of a wooden spoon into the tortellini and push the two ends around the spoon.

    Forming tortellini around the end of a wood spoon.

     

    Press together with your thumb to seal.

    Tortellini formed and pinched around the end of a wood spoon.

     

    Slip the tortellini off of the handle.

    Perfectly formed homemade tortellini held between a thumb and index finger.

     

     

    You have now formed a classic tortellini.

    Close up shot of single tortellini on wood board.

     

    You have a few more to go.

    Homemade tortellini scattered on wood board.

     

    Homemade Tortellini

    Homemade Tortellini, perfect for dousing in a rich tomato sauce or floating in a beef broth for tortellini en brodo. Serve with crusty, CRUSTY, bread. 
    4.41 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Pasta
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 0
    Calories: 2144kcal
    Author: Karen

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    • 4 ounces ground turkey can substitute chicken
    • 4 ounces ground beef
    • 4 ounces ground pork
    • 4 ounces prosciutto finely diced
    • 2 ounces mortadella finely diced*
    • 1 egg beaten
    • 1 cups Parmesan cheese grated
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

    Instructions

    • Heat the butter and oil over high heat in a large pan until the butter foams. Add all of the ground meat (turkey, beef and pork). Brown and cook until almost done.
    • Add the prosciutto and mortadella and cook for a few minutes.
    • Remove from heat and let cool.
    • Run the mixture through a food processor until it's like a paste.
    • Add the beaten egg and parmesan cheese. Mix.
    • Add salt and pepper and ¼ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg. Mix.
    • Refrigerate until you're ready to start making your tortellini.

    Notes

    *I find the mortadella can overpower the filling, so I only use 2 ounces. Traditionally you'd use 4 ounces.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 2144kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 130g | Fat: 175g | Saturated Fat: 72g | Cholesterol: 623mg | Sodium: 3519mg | Potassium: 1435mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1720IU | Calcium: 1255mg | Iron: 6.9mg

    TORTELLINI MAKING TIPS:

    • Only roll out a small amount of dough at a time.  It dries out quickly.
    • As soon as you cut your dough into squares cover it all in plastic wrap.  Keep the dough covered unless you're actually forming your tortellini.
    • If your dough does dry out you can rub a little beaten egg around the edges of the dough to seal it.
    • If you get discouraged and things are slowing down, put on some good music. Good music helps everything.  You're making TORTELLINI!  What a wonderful, wonderful world.

     

    Still confused?  Watch the video on how to make tortellini ...

    How to Make Tortellini

    How to shape perfect tortellini with a wooden spoon handle.

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    1. kelliblue

      March 12, 2013 at 9:00 pm

      Um. Thanks, but no thanks (said the girl with the patience of a gnat).

      They're beautiful! They're yummy looking!

      Just....no. I'll stick to store bought!

      Reply
    2. mothership

      March 12, 2013 at 7:44 pm

      OMG... got thru the birth canal... or whatever u said...
      My 9th grade world history teacher started 1st day of class telling us that we each were
      "one in a million.....sperm"
      apparently that's how many (later I think I heard it's closer to 400,000... but really no clue) sperm vie for the "egg" with each...... ummmm "shot"... but apparently only one gets "in" so we're each one in a "million"....
      imagine that speech in a room full of 14 yr olds....
      (& this was 1979.... was that legal?? did we know what sperm were? did we even have sex ed back then???... oh wait... I grew up in Californica... yes... we knew) (sorry!... but you started it...)

      Reply
    3. Beck

      March 12, 2013 at 3:16 pm

      Yes, Patti! Yes I do!

      Oh, and hi Karen! Huge fan, read you all the time. I think this is the first time I have commented, though. Patti is the one who shared your blog with me, but I actually totally remember you from your little segments that would air between shows back in the 90's. I used to love watching them -- my favourite is when you'd be reporting on some weird thing happening somehwere in the world and you wouldn't even be able to stop yourself from laughing. Amazing! So glad you are sharing your wealth of knowledge and sense of humour here!

      Reply
      • Karen

        March 12, 2013 at 4:28 pm

        Thanks Beck. Welcome to the site. And yup ... that sounds like me. Maybe I'll start daily video news reports here. :) ~ karen!

        Reply
        • Becky

          March 14, 2013 at 10:34 am

          I think that is an EXCELLENT idea.

    4. Nancy Blue Moon

      March 12, 2013 at 2:36 pm

      This looks great..Now how about a cheese filling??

      Reply
    5. Patti

      March 12, 2013 at 2:22 pm

      Can you freeze these, Karen? Or does that defeat the purpose. I could see myself doing this, after purchasing a pasta maker, and a food processor, but I'm thinking it would be a Sunday afternoon in front of the TV escapade, and I would make 2 million of them and freeze them for later so it's more worth it. Is this the silliest thought I have ever had?

      Reply
      • Karen

        March 12, 2013 at 2:29 pm

        Patti - I freeze them all the time. A purist would tell you that defeats the purpose of fresh tortellini, but frozen homemade tortellini taste exactly the same as fresh homemade tortellini. Just put them on a baking sheet (not touching), freeze them and then quickly (so they don't have a chance to build up any thawed moisture which will make them stick) put the frozen tortellini into freezer bags. ~ karen!

        Reply
        • Patti

          March 12, 2013 at 3:03 pm

          Okay! Hey Beck & Jules - wanna have a tortellini party?!

        • Julie

          March 12, 2013 at 3:07 pm

          IN!!! Just name the time and place baby!

    6. Jeannie B

      March 12, 2013 at 12:35 pm

      Karen, I'm still looking for my pasta macihine. I know that it's in a closet somewhere in the house. When I do find it, I'll try making some pasta. But, in the meantime, I'll just open a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli, and heat it up. I've got the inspiration but not the aspiration to make pasta from scratch this week or next, or next. Does that make sense? Love the video and yes, it really is a wonderful world.

      Reply
    7. rev59@shaw.ca

      March 12, 2013 at 11:45 am

      I stand in awe at any of you who do this. I will gladly listen to you brag.

      Reply
    8. Maryanne

      March 12, 2013 at 11:12 am

      What time is dinner? I am hungry now! Could you tell us how you make your red sauce?

      Reply
    9. Barbie

      March 12, 2013 at 11:04 am

      Those are even more labor intensive than gnocchi!! Which I only make once a year! I have always wanted to make tortellini...you made it look so easy! Just time consuming....but foodies don't mind that! ;)

      PS: Love your song choice! My favorite!

      Reply
      • Karen

        March 12, 2013 at 11:07 am

        Thanks Barbie! Yeah, they are definitely time consuming, but they're delicious. I know they're the same ingredients as ravioli, but the shape of them in your mouth is different. Better. ~ karen!

        Reply
    10. Nicola

      March 12, 2013 at 10:47 am

      I don't know when but I will make these for sure! Great video! We're just finishing eating our second batch of apple hand pies!!!

      Reply
    11. Julie

      March 12, 2013 at 10:37 am

      I have helped my husband's Nonna make tortellini, ravioli, gnocchi, and spaghetti in the past and my best tip is that the process is much more fun if you have someone to work with. One reason why I still have yet to buy a pasta roller.

      Oh and when Nonna makes the tortellini, she just wraps the two ends of the 'Nun's hat' around her pinky. Whatever works best for you though.

      Reply
      • Karen

        March 12, 2013 at 11:06 am

        Yeah, it's a bit of a pain with only one person. Still fun though. I know the pinkie method, but for me the spoon is faster and easier. I guess I have fat pinkies. ~ karen

        Reply
    12. Ruth

      March 12, 2013 at 10:01 am

      You scared the living daylights out of me!!!! I kept turning up the volume on the video (with my headset on) and wondering why I wasn't hearing anything......

      You already know what happened next. O_O You won't catch me again though. That was your one shot. Smh.

      Reply
      • Karen

        March 12, 2013 at 10:23 am

        LOL. It wasn't intentional. But it sure is fun that it happened. ~ karen

        Reply
    13. katie maher

      March 12, 2013 at 9:55 am

      any good recipes- do they need a sauce on top or just boil and eat?? Thanks!!!

      Reply
      • Karen

        March 12, 2013 at 10:24 am

        Katie - I have a recipe coming up in a couple of days. But you can just serve them with butter and paremesan cheese, or with a good red tomato sauce. ~ karen!

        Reply
    14. Jodi T.

      March 12, 2013 at 9:18 am

      Great post! My favorite line is "Now roll up your sleeves, and pick out your swear words". LMAO -- You are so awesome, and if I actually had a pasta maker, I would SO make some tortellini.

      Reply
    15. Melinda--Marshmallow Mudpie

      March 12, 2013 at 8:41 am

      You are awesome! Those look really fantastic, but I will never make tortellini. I love it, but I haven't the patience for much more than buying it already made. I guess my only bragging rights will be that I boil them myself...I suppose that doesn't count though... :)

      Reply
    16. Langela

      March 12, 2013 at 8:27 am

      Ummm, yeah. I will probably never have those bragging rights. But thanks for showing me that I don't want them and why. :)

      Reply
    17. karol

      March 12, 2013 at 7:47 am

      I don't have a bucket list, but if I did, this would not be on it. :) Life's way too short for wasting my good curse words on dough and "meat paste".

      Reply
      • Bunny

        August 15, 2019 at 2:41 pm

        Having been brought up in an Italian restaurant family with a 4-star European trained chef as my Nonno (grandfather), I can only say I’m so sorry. You’ve truly missed out on what I can only describe as a gustatory delight, with subtle nuances of flavor and texture you’ll never find elsewhere. That’s why it’s worth the time and effort if you appreciate those little things. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good barbecued steak, or even a simple burger, but sometimes I want to experience the spectacular tastes that only a labor intensive, time consuming recipe will provide, and one of my favorite go-tos is tortellini. Another is pesto, and I’m about to experiment with making some pesto tortellini! Try to expand your skills a bit - the satisfaction you’ll experience and the new tastes might excite you to try other things. And for those that ask why not just leave them as ravioli, all I can say is that the “mouth feel” makes them taste different.

        Reply
        • Karen

          August 16, 2019 at 10:06 pm

          Oh! Then maybe you can tell me the name of a dish I'm looking for, lol. It's basically an Italian Frittata. A friend was talking about how she makes it and I can't remember what it's called or what goes in it exactly, lol. I remember black olives, 8 eggs, basil, toasted pine nuts, parmesan cheese maybe? .... Let me know if it sounds familiar to you! ~ karen

    18. Donna

      March 12, 2013 at 6:28 am

      Okay. So I put the video on expecting the music to be a classic italian song. "That's Amore" or Sinatra or something. Yep, It is a Beautiful World! If I made tortellini it would be a beautiful world. Well done.
      And be sure that I would bring it into every conversation for the next ten years!!!

      Reply
    19. Marti

      March 12, 2013 at 1:04 am

      Wake the kids and pop some corn: IT'S A PASTA-MAKING SET-2-MUSIC VIDEO!

      Now if only we could learn how to make ravioli, then nobody would have to lose their mind, while making enough tiny little pasta bits for dinner, hmmm, Karen?

      Reply
      • Karen

        March 12, 2013 at 1:12 am

        Well, um ... it's exactly the same thing. Only don't squirrel it into a knot/hat shape. There. Yet another brilliant blog post completed. ~ karen

        Reply
        • Marti

          March 12, 2013 at 1:14 am

          HA! A "two-fer!" Hurray YOU!

          (Seriously, no other tips?)

        • Ruth

          March 12, 2013 at 9:55 am

          Hmmm... looks cute, but if it's exactly the same ingredients as ravioli, I don't think the shape is going to matter to my stomach.

          Speaking of stomach... maybe I should point out that residing in a stomach would require exit through the 'back chute'? The way Mom told it, I slid down the 'front chute' with ease...I don't remember any of this but I'll take her word for it. ;)

    20. Amie Mason

      March 12, 2013 at 12:42 am

      Absolutely beautiful! I can hear old Italian ladies and gents weeping with joy!

      Reply
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