Tortellini must be one of the most comforting Italian dishes out there. Comfort aside, though, I find that channeling my inner Massimo Bottura, making the pasta from scratch, and folding one tortellini after another, to be so therapeutic – like culinary origami – and it’s just so versatile! You can enjoy it hot, as a dish by itself, or slightly cooled over a crisp, fresh salad… it’s just perfect for any season. This recipe must be one of my all-time favourite summer dishes.
CHEESE TORTELLINI WITH HERB DRESSING (V)
TIME: 1 ½ HOURS | SERVES: 6
INGREDIENTS
for the herb sauce
250 ml sour cream
10 g fresh dill
15 g chopped chives
15 g basil leave
15 g parsley
juice of lime
1 spring onion, roughly chopped
30 – 45 ml cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
for the salad
baby spinach leaves
125 g sugar snap peas
4 spring onions, sliced diagonally
fresh dill sprigs
fresh basil leaves
for the pasta
400 g (715 ml) cake flour
4 eggs
25 ml olive oil
25 ml water
for the cheese filling
200 g ricotta cheese
55 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
60 g Boerenkaas, finely grated
45 ml cream cheese
freshly ground black pepper
for the pasta
Place the flour in the mixing bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add the eggs, olive oil and water and mix until a dough forms, then knead the dough for 10 minutes. Take it out and cover with a damp cloth. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
for the cheese filling
Place all the cheeses in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and season with black pepper.
to make the tortellini
If you are using a pasta machine, follow the machine’s instructions. Alternatively, you can roll out the dough on a floured surface until it’s very thin. Cut the pasta sheets into equal-sized squares, about 6 x 6 cm.
Pipe the filling onto the centre of each square. Take one square and fold it diagonally to make a triangle, pressing the edges down firmly and squeezing out any trapped air. If the pasta doesn’t stick well, dab a little water onto the edges before trying to fold again. Once you have made a triangle shape, take the bottom corners and fold them around your index finger so that they meet. Squeeze the corners so they bind and again, use a touch of water to help if needed.
Bring a large saucepan with salted water to the boil. Use a slotted spoon and lower the tortellini into the boiling water. They only need around three minutes to cook – they’ll float on the surface once they’re ready.
Using the slotted spoon, transfer the tortellini into a large bowl. Spoon the dressing over the tortellini.
for the herb sauce
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
to assemble salad
Arrange the spinach leaves on a serving plate. Spoon the tortellini on top and arrange the sugar snap peas and spring onions on top. Garnish with fresh dill and basil leaves.
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