Already in the 17 th century chronicles of Bologna you can find it written that tortellini should only be eaten in broth. And that’s how traditionalists feel. They say tortellini with cream are an unbecoming modern invention, but they are only partially right.
Worldwide, tortellini are very much appreciated with pesto, tomato sauce or Bolognese ragù. In Italy, however, there are cases when they’re still seasoned with cream. A legacy of the invasion of prosciutto, peas and vodka that characterized the 1980s? No. More than anything else it’s a variation of a dish with its own history and gastronomic dignity.
Tortellino with milk cream is a very refined dish that is nothing more than the meeting, which took place almost by accident, of the raw cream skimmed from freshly heated milk and the pasta of holidays – tortellini. The histories of Emilian cheese-maker families have shown that part of the payment for those working at the dairy farm was in milk products like cheese, butter, ricotta and cream. The idea of coating the classic holiday dish with a layer of precious cream arose in these homes, perhaps by chance or perhaps not.
According to Dotta Confraternita del Tortellino (Scholarly Fellowship of the Tortellino), tortellini with cream can also boast an inventor, the cook Cesarina who used cream skimmed from fresh milk. The Fellowship warns that industrial creams “mortify tortellini under a white blanket, causing them to lose the exaltation that only pure broth can bestow to the filling.” The original recipe of tortellini with cream has been lost over time, even though it has fortunately survived in some isolated contexts, like at Osteria del Mirasole in San Giovanni in Persiceto, where it remains on the menu. Among the symbolic recipes of the Osteria, the Tortellini with milk cream and Parmigiano Reggiano aged 30 months are worth the visit. They’re tiny, and to be eaten with a spoon to savor the white, sweet and velvety cream with a slight tang in each bite.
Chef Franco Cimini has managed Antica Osteria del Mirasole in the heart of Emilia between Bologna and Modena for over 20 years. He has never yielded to the temptation of more creative cuisine and remains an undisputed lover of the ancient recipes of rural tradition. This tradition continues to inspire him as he seeks the highest quality ingredients for recipes from the past that can only be maintained and valued with the skill of a cook.
To prepare the classic tortellini at home, here is the recipe for the filling from Franco Cimini, and that of the pasta dough, filed in 1974.
The original recipe
For the pasta
3 eggs and 2 cups flour
For the filling for 4 people
4 oz. pork, -2 oz. mortadella, 2 oz. Parma prosciutto, fat removed, -1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano aged 24 months, -1 egg, -1/4 tsp. fine salt, nutmeg to taste
Instructions
Grind the pork meat, mortadella and prosciutto, passing them twice. Add the whole egg, the grated Parmigiano, the salt and a little grated nutmeg. Knead very well to get a homogeneous mixture.