Heat & Knives

The Recipe

Source: From Biba’s Italian Kitchen by Biba Caggiano

For the Filling:

1 pound ricotta
6 ounces cooked fresh or frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 large egg, lightly beaten
salt to taste

For the Tortelloni:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 extra-large eggs

For the Asparagus Sauce:

¾ pound asparagus tips, approximately 4 pounds asparagus
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup chicken broth or clear vegetable broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt to taste
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Prepare the Filling:

Put all the filling ingredients in a medium-size bowl and mix well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. (The filling can be prepared several hours or a day ahead.)

Prepare the Pasta:

Prepare the pasta dough, using the flour and eggs in this recipe, and then roll out the dough and prepare tortelloni.

Prepare the Sauce:

Bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus tips and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, 1 to 2 minutes, depending on size. Drain asparagus tips and reserve about one third. Combine the remaining asparagus tips with the cream and the broth, and puree in a food processor to a smooth consistency.

Heat the butter in a large skillet. Add the pureed asparagus and reserved asparagus tips. Season with salt. Simmer the sauce over very low heat for a few minutes, or until the sauce has a medium-thick, creamy consistency. Keep sauce warm over very low heat while you cook the tortelloni.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the tortelloni. Cook, uncovered, over high heat until tortelloni are tender but still firm to the bite. Drain tortelloni gently and place them in the skillet. Add Parmigiano and mix over low heat to combine. Serve immediately with some more Parmigiano, if desired.