Tortellini en Brodo Recipe: 4 Tips for Making the Italian Dish

For the brodo:

• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 4–5 pounds meaty beef bones (with bone marrow), knucklebones, and trimmings
• 1 pound beef stew meat (chuck or flank steak), cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound chicken bones
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 2 large celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 sprigs parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Parmesan rind
• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns

For the tortellini:

• ¼ pound Italian sausage or ground pork
• 2 ounces prosciutto, finely diced
• 3 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
• 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¾ cup 00 flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. 2

   In a roasting pan, drizzle olive oil generously over the bones, meat, carrots, and onions. Roast in oven until browned, about 45 minutes, flipping bones and meat halfway through cooking.

3. 3

   Transfer the roasted bones, meat, and vegetables to a large stock pot.

4. 4

   Place the roasting pan on the stove over low heat. Pour ½ cup water over the pan and use a metal spatula to scrape up the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

5. 5

   Pour the browned bits and water into the stockpot. Add celery, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, Parmesan rind, and peppercorns. Fill the stockpot with cold water, covering the bones by 1–2 inches. Place over high heat, bringing the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover the pot loosely and let simmer for 3-4 hours. Skim off any foamy scum from the top. If you want a richer flavor, cook for up to 6 hours.

6. 6

   Strain out and discard the solids with a slotted spoon. Pour through a sieve or fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, then return to the pot.

7. 7

   Meanwhile, make the tortellini filling. In a medium bowl, combine the pork, prosciutto, Parmesan, rosemary, nutmeg, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Mix until very evenly blended. Cover and refrigerate filling for at least 2 hours (this helps the flavors meld together).

8. 8

   To make the pasta dough, mix flour and 1 teaspoon of salt together in a large bowl. Using your knuckles, create a well in the center of the flour, leaving a thin layer at the bottom of the well. Crack 1 egg into the well, and using a fork, whisk the egg until frothy. Add olive oil to the well. Using your other hand, add a little flour into the mixture as you go.

9. 9

   When the egg-flour mixture is thick enough that it is no longer runny, turn the dough out onto a clean surface and use a bench scraper to cut in the rest of the flour.

10. 10

    Bring the dough together with your hands, and knead until it forms a smooth ball, about 5–10 minutes. The finished dough should very lightly spring back when pressed with your finger but otherwise hold the indent. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

11. 11

    When you’re ready to roll out the dough, lightly flour a clean work surface. Using either a rolling pin, a tabletop pasta roller, or a stand mixer attachment for making pasta, roll the dough into a single layer until it is thin, but does not rip. If using a roller attachment, mark the halfway point of the finished ribbon of dough with a paring knife; if using a rolling pin, divide the dough into two halves before rolling.

12. 12

    Cut the pasta dough into 2-inch squares. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling over the center of each pasta square.

13. 13

    Dip your finger in water and lightly trace the edges of the pasta to moisten. Fold one corner across to the opposite corner to form a triangle. Press firmly to seal and remove any air bubbles. Draw the bottom two corners together to form a small ring (similar to a kerchief). Set on a floured surface baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.

14. 14

    To cook tortellini, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.

15. 15

    Carefully transfer tortellini to the water. Cook, stirring to prevent sticking until all of the tortellini have popped up to the surface, about 5 minutes (cut into one tortellini to make sure the filling cooks through).

16. 16

    Drain the pasta and serve tortellini in warm broth with a few cracks of freshly ground pepper.

17. 17

    You can freeze tortellini for up to 3 months. After folding, place all of the tortellini on a floured sheet tray without touching each other, and flash freeze for 1 hour. Then transfer tortellini to a freezer bag or container to freeze long-term. Cook straight from frozen in boiling water. The tortellini may take a few minutes longer to bob up to the top.

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