Stuffed pasta in broth

For a full Christmas menu including classic dishes, you certainly shouldn’t miss out on making ‘cappelletti’ stuffed pasta parcels in broth: it is a traditional Italian recipe that many families have been eating for years, both for Christmas lunch and other special occasions. The broth can be made with the meat you favour so as to accommodate your palate and that of your guests. Today the recipe is prepared all over Italy, although it must be stressed that these stuffed pasta specifically are intimately linked to the gastronomy of Emilia Romagna. A special feature that distinguishes ‘cappelletti’ in this area is that they are rather small, while the size tends to increase as you move towards the Po. Try making them yourself, following our chef’s instructions, and you will see that is really quite easy to serve this exceptionally tasty and healthy dish!

Prepare the pasta dough following our basic recipe. Cook the meat in a frying pan with plenty of butter. Once cooked, blitz with an electric blender together with the ricotta, mortadella, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix together until smooth, then add a good quantity of grated Parmesan cheese. Roll out the dough with a pasta maker as in our recipes for ravioli. Cut squares of pasta about 3cm x 3cm and put a little ball of filling in the centre. Stick the two corners together, squeezing a bit around the filling, and then gently seal the two flaps to the side of the filling, leaving a triangle protruding from the other side, facing upwards. You'll have something that looks a little like a baby’s belly button! Make some meat stock, and when ready cook the pasta parcels in it until they come to the surface. Serve with grated Parmesan.