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Tortelli di patate recipe

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First courses

Tortelli di patate are a type of filled pasta typical of Mugello, a mountainous area near Florence bordering Emilia Romagna. They are one of the most traditional recipes of Tuscan cuisine, based on simple ingredients that are influenced by the nearby region, Emilia Romagna. People in Mugello know how to roll out the dough in just the same way as they do in Romagna, but the filling changes, adapting to the less affluent region by using potatoes instead of meat, seasoned in a myriad of different ways depending on the area, family, and tradition.

Serve them with the sauce of your choice. Tortelli are traditionally dressed with a rich meat sauce ­– a classic ragù, but there are also stewed wild boar or duck alternatives. At the sagre, the local food festivals usually held in parking lots or sports centers, you can also find brown butter and sage, basil pesto, or tomato sauce options.

Tortelli di patate

Ingredients

For the fresh pasta

  • 3 eggs
  • 150 g semolina flour
  • 150 all-purpose flour
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

For the filling

  • 500 g potatoes, boiled
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

- Tomato sauce, for serving
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving

Method

Follow these steps:

Make fresh pasta.
Combine the two flours on a wooden board and shape them into a mound with a large well in the center. Crack in the eggs, then pour in the extra virgin olive oil and add a pinch of salt. Using a fork, stir slowly, starting from the center of the eggs and gradually picking up more flour from the edges. When the dough turns crumbly, switch to kneading with your hands.
When the ball of dough is smooth, silky, and no longer sticky, cover with a bowl and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

While the pasta is resting, make the filling.
Mash the potatoes into a bowl and add the garlic, parsley, tomato paste, salt, and pepper.

After the resting time, roll out the dough into long, thin sheets, working in batches as needed.Drop teaspoonfuls of the potato filling at regular distances from one another, about 1 inch apart. Then fold the top part of the pasta sheet onto the bottom part. Use your fingers to firmly press the edges around all the fillings so they are well sealed. Repeat with the remaining sheets of pasta and filling.

Cut out the tortelli using a scalloped pasta wheel. Arrange them on a tray dusted with semolina flour, making sure they don’t touch or stick to the tray.

Bring a large, shallow pot of water to boil. Salt the water and cook the tortelli in batches, depending on the size of the pot. They cook in just a few minutes and are ready when they float to the surface. Gently scoop them out and drain, then arrange them in a large, high-sided platter. Serve with the sauce of your choice.