tortellini

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Tortellini in broth

Tortellini is a kind of ring-shaped pasta. They are typically stuffed with a mix of meat (pork loin, prosciutto). Originally from the Italian region of Emilia (in particular Bologna and Modena), they are usually served in broth, with cream, or sometimes with a ragù.

Packed, refrigerated or frozen tortellini and tortelloni (similar but larger) appear in many locations around the world, especially where Italian communities have a certain relief. Tortellini and tortelloni are made in special industrial lines supplied, all over the world, by Italian companies such as Arienti & Cattaneo, Ima, Ostoni, Zamboni, etc.; "fresh" packed tortellini have usually 7 weeks of shelf-life.

Similar foods in other cultures include the Ukrainian Christmas food "vushka" (Ukrainian: вушка), Chinese wonton and jiaozi, and Turkish mantı.

Legend

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The origin of tortellini is surrounded by several legends^{[citation needed]}.

One says that this dish is born in Castelfranco Emilia (province of Modena)^{[citation needed]}. One night during a trip, Lucrezia Borgia checked into an inn in the small town. Over the course of the night the host became so captivated by Lucrezia's beauty that he couldn't resist the urge to peek into her room through the keyhole. The bedroom was only lit by a few candles, and so he could merely see her navel. This pure and innocent vision was enough to send him into an ecstasy that inspired him to create the tortellini that night.

Another separate but similar legend, originating in medieval Italy, tells how Venus and Jupiter arrived at a tavern on the outskirts of Bologna one night, weary from their involvement in a battle between Modena and Bologna^{[citation needed]}. After much food and drink, they shared a room. The innkeeper, captivated by the two, followed them and peeked through the keyhole. All he could see was Venus's navel. Spellbound, he rushed to the kitchen and created tortellini in its image.

Comparison to tortelloni

Tortelloni is pasta in the same shape, but larger, typically 5 g, vs. 2 g for tortellini. ^[1] Although either can be filled with a wide variety of foods, meat-based filling is less common in tortelloni. Tortellini may be served with sauce or in a broth; tortelloni are rarely served in a broth.

See also

• Tortelloni
• Mantı

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tortellini

• Tortellini production video

References