Cappelletti in broth

The origin of the cappelletti is lost in the mists of time. They are part of the stuffed pasta family, widely used throughout Emilia-Romagna. There are many variations which, depending on the area, differ in size and filling, which can be based on meat or cheese only and take on different names such as Cappelletti, Tortellini, Anolini, etc. Cappelletti in broth with meat filling are typical of the lower Romagna region and are a must at Christmas lunch. It goes without saying that, as with every traditional recipe, every town, landing, family, has its own variant, its own touch, its little personalization, while maintaining a common basis. But behind a plate of cappelletti there was much more. It was in fact used that, at Christmas, all the women of the family, including children, gathered in the large kitchens, under the guidance of the oldest, to "close the cappelletti" and that constituted a pleasant moment of chatting, confiding and gossiping. It was a painstaking job, to close them one by one, gestures of love that were repeated with care and wisdom, almost a prelude to the great feast. The greatest reward then, was to proudly offer one's men a nice plate of steaming cappelletti and read the expression of satisfaction on their faces, receiving compliments for the goodness of those small masterpieces that had so much time and effort. behaved. I just had time to experience all this ... a world that is being lost ... too bad! But luckily the goodness of the cappelletti remains!

Time of realization: 6 hours
Degree of difficulty (1 to 5): 3

Ingredients for about 14 people

For the filling (for 5 puff eggs)
350 g of dry sheep ricotta
350 g of mixed minced pork and veal
100 g coppata bacon
150 g savory raw ham eg. Tuscan
a pinch of nutmeg
1 clove of garlic
1 parsley
130 g of grated Parmesan cheese
salt and white pepper
a round of extra virgin olive oil
a splash of brandy

For the pastry
300 g of flour 0 or 00
200 g of durum wheat semolina
5 eggs
2 and ½ tablespoons of seed oil

For the broth
beef for broth, including some bones
1 quarter of a capon
2 stalks of celery
3 carrots
3 golden onions
2 tablespoons of tomato sauce
2 cloves of garlic
salt to taste coarse salt
5,5 lt of water

Procedure for making Cappelletti in broth

For the stuffing
In a low and wide pan, heat the oil and brown the minced meat together with the finely chopped garlic, trying to shell it with a fork. Salt, deglaze with a sprinkle of brandy and let it evaporate. Turn off the heat and add the finely chopped parsley. Mix well and leave to cool.
Add the ricotta, grated Parmesan cheese, raw ham and pancetta very finely chopped to the browned and cold minced meat (you can also use the mixer), a little nutmeg and, if necessary, season with salt and pepper. Mix everything well, cover and store in the fridge, so that it gets a little firmer and easier to handle.

For the pastry
Mix the flour with the eggs and the seed oil. I recommend mixing the two flours immediately and kneading 200 g at a time together with 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon of oil, in order to facilitate, first, the drafting and then the closing of the cappelletti, as the dough once rolled out tends to dry out quickly. making it difficult to seal.
Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, slightly thicker than a noodle (I used the Kenwood dough sheeter on no. 8 of 9). Immediately cut many squares of 4 cm on each side and place a small pile of filling in the center. Begin to close them immediately by folding them into a triangle, matching the upper tip with the lower one. It is important to seal well and let the air out, to prevent them from opening during cooking. Now fold the pin that is at the top towards you, so as to raise it, then join the two lateral tips by turning them around the index finger of the left hand, welding them together. Line up the cappelletti on a cardboard or other material tray, but covered with absorbent paper and dusted with plenty of semolina. You can use them immediately, or you can freeze them for future use, by inserting the tray, as it is, in the freezer and, once frozen, close them in nylon bags and store them in the freezer.

For the broth
Fill a saucepan with water and soak the well washed meats and vegetables in cold. Leave the skin on the onions, because they will give a nice golden color and make a light cross cut in them before putting them in the water. Also add the tomato sauce and about 3 large pinches of coarse salt. Turn the heat on strong until it boils, then turn it down and let it simmer for 2,5 to 3 hours or more. Skim the surface as impurities emerge to maintain clarity. Finally filter and leave to decant for 15/20 '. To cook the cappelletti, put the broth in a pot, counting about 3 ladles each, bring it to a boil and pour the cappelletti into it, about 15/16 each. Taste a little broth and add salt if necessary. As soon as they rise to the surface, wait another minute and serve. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese to taste.

National
If you have frozen them, pour them into the broth without defrosting them, making sure that the boil is really high; moreover, do not throw them all together, but a little at a time, because it is important not to lower the temperature of the broth too much, as they need the thermal shock so that the pasta gels immediately thus preventing breakage.
The recipe was made by Roberta Marcelli.