I made tortellini from scratch for Sunday night dinner, and oh my stars it was a lot of work! It was very satisfying, but I’m not sure I’ll do it again until I am really trying to impress someone.

As is my usual cooking style it was a mix between three different recipes this one, this one and one from an old Italian cookbook that my mum lent me. I don’t know why I can’t just follow one recipe, commitment issues?

 

My mix and match recipe went something like this:

Baked Spinach and Ricotta Tortellini with Pumpkin and Sage Sauce

 

Tortellini Dough

2 cups plain flour

pinch salt

3 lightly beaten eggs

1 tbs water

1 tbs olive oil

Make a mound out of the salt and flour than make a well in the centre.

Combine egg, oil and water and pour into the well a little at a time, mixing as you go with your hands.

Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 mins, then cover with a damp cloth for a further 5 mins.

Then roll out and cut into 5cm circles with a cookie cutter. I don’t own a rolling pin so I had to use an olive oil bottle, so if like me you just can’t get that dough thin enough (thin enough that you can see the outline of your fingers through it) then cut it it with a smaller size cookie cutter then roll it out some more.

Cover with damp cloth.

 

 Tortellini filling

200g spinach

200g ricotta

pinch of nutmeg

salt and pepper

Cook spinach in saucepan of boiling water for about a minute then drain.

Mix spinach, ricotta, nutmeg together and season with salt and pepper.

Place half a teaspoon of filling in centre of pasta circle. It looks small, but don’t be tempted to overfill, it ends in tears!

Fold in half then twist into a circle around your finger and seal with water.

 

Sauce

1/2 a pumpkin cubed

3 garlic cloves chopped

olive oil

handful of sage leaves, plus some to serve

pinenuts

grated Parmesan, to cover

Meanwhile preheat oven to 220°C.

Roast pumpkin, garlic, olive oil and sage in a pan until pumpkin is tender, about 20mins.

 

Combine

Cook tortellini in boiling water until tender, about 5mins and drain. It is easier to divide pasta into smaller batches, but if you can’t be bothered I don’t think it matters.

Combine pasta and sauce in a baking tray and cover generously with grated Parmesan, bake in the oven until cheese is bubbling, about 15mins.

Just before serving lightly toast some pinenuts to throw on top.

Serve garnished with sage leaves and with a side of garlic bread.

 

Delicious!! And served one mediumly hungry girl and three hungry to ravenous boys

 

If you used bought tortellini this is actually quite an easy and yummy recipe, but not as “impressive”!