Tortelloni

Tortelloni are the bigger, more generous cousin of tortellini, large enough to hold a real spoonful of filling and substantial enough to be a proper dinner. The classic ricotta-and-herb stuffing is paired with the simplest possible sauce: just butter, fresh sage, and a final shower of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Sheep’s milk ricotta is the move when you can find it. It’s tangier, creamier, and richer than the cow’s milk version most American supermarkets stock. If you can’t find sheep’s milk, drain regular ricotta in a fine sieve for an hour to remove excess water, otherwise the filling will be loose and leak from the pasta during cooking.

The folding technique is what makes these tortelloni and not just stuffed squares. Fold a square diagonally into a triangle, seal firmly, then bring the two long points together to form a ring. The shape isn’t decorative, the ring catches butter sauce in its folds and gives every bite a different texture.

Freshly grated nutmeg in the filling is what separates this from a generic ricotta pasta. Don’t skip it, and don’t use pre-ground, the difference is night and day.

Chef Tips

• Roll the pasta dough as thin as your machine allows. Tortelloni filling overpowers thick pasta.
• Use the egg yolk wash trick: brush the edges of each square with beaten egg before sealing for a tighter, leak-proof bond.
• Don’t brown the butter past pale golden, sage cooked too long turns bitter and butter goes nutty.
• Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. A splash thinned into the butter creates a silky emulsified sauce.

Variations

• Add finely chopped sauteed spinach or chard to the ricotta for a green-flecked filling.
• Swap the sage butter for a quick walnut-cream sauce or simple tomato basil.
• Stir 2 tablespoons of mascarpone into the ricotta for an even richer, silkier filling.