There are some recipes that are not just a piece of written paper. They hide history, love, taste and a lot of passion. One such recipe is today. Homemade tortellini in Grana Padano broth.
This particular recipe has been on my mind for a long time, and the time has finally come for it to be implemented. I do not think I can describe my feeling when I tried it. Satisfaction? Yes, I will say satisfaction. Because I had in my hands an ingredient that gave me the best broth for my tortellini. A ingredient that was a leftover. Of course I’m not talking about the main part of Grana Padano, but about its rinds. Yes, this golden yellow broth is made from the rinds of Grana Padano.
The fact that the broth of the recipe is based on such an ingredient is definitely worth your love. Because this is cooking for me. To be able to make delicious dish from ingredients that would end up as a waste.
KNOWING GRANA PADANO DPO
Grana Padano is a cheese with a huge history! In fact, it was first produced about 1000 years ago by the Cisternian monks of the monastery of Chiaravalle, in Milan. It is one of the most famous cheeses in Italy: hard, slow maturation, semi-fat, with a protected designation of origin and a shelf life of up to 2 years (sometimes more).
The name is a combination of the Italian word grana, which indicates the characteristic grainy texture of the cheese, and the adjective Padano, which comes from the Po valley (Po).
Thanks to the raw ingredients, Grana Padano has excellent nutritional values, while it is a cheese that is versatile in various nutritional needs, elevating every bite into a perfect mixture of nutrients. It contains proteins of high biological value in high concentration, respectively nutritious with milk, but in concentrated form.
Fattorie Cremona is one of the most important manufacturers of Grana Padano. It was created in 1933 in the heart of the Po valley, in northern Italy, as an initiative of a group of 19 dairy farmers in the area. In 2018 PLAC was renewed with its new brand Fattorie Cremona. A strong point of Grana Padano Fattorie Cremona is the milk, which enters the production process at the moment it is collected. Approximately 150 million liters of milk are utilized per year from a very specific area, which ensures the freshness of the raw ingredient.
Recipe tips
Before we start I would like to take a look at the recipes I have already made for fresh pasta. You can find them here. The most comprehensive post is the one about black pasta with cuttlefish ink. It was the first recipe I made and I recorded everything you need to know about fresh pasta. The recipe can be found here.
Have in mind that in order a fresh pasta recipe to succeed you have to use your own intuition. For instance I may suggest 2 egg yolks but not all eggs are the same. Like flours too, they differ. So you have to keep in mind how the pasta dough should be. We want to end up with a smooth and elastic dough, which if we make it a little puddle with the finger it will bounce back.
Tortellini in Grana Padano broth
Ingredients
For the broth
- olive oil
- 1 onion, cut into four
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 1 cup white wine
- 4000 gr Grana Padano rinds
For the pasta
- 200 gr all purpose flour
- 2 eggs, large
- 100 gr ground beef
- 75 gr prosciutto, finely chopped
- 75 gr mortadella, finely chopped
- 50 gr Grana Padano, grated
- a pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
For the broth
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the wine and let it simmer until reduced by half.
- Add the Grana Padano rinds and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent the cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Boil the broth for about 2 hours.
For the pasta
- Using mixer: Combine flour and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted.Knead on low speed for 3-4 minutes or until the dough stick together. If your dough seems dry, add a teaspoon or two of water until dough just comes together. Remember that the dough at the end should be smooth and relatively elastic. In order to test the dough, press it with your finger, if it bounces back it is ok.
- By hand: Create a lamb in the middle of the flour and add the eggs yolks. By using a fork, slowly mix the eggs mixture into the flour. When a paste is created use your hands and knead until you end up with an elastic dough. It will take about 15 minutes. In order to test the dough, press it with your finger, if it bounces back it is ok.
- Wrap the dough with a bee wrap and allow to rest at cool room temperature for an hour, or in the fridge for longer.
- Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces by using a pasta cutter or a sharp knife. By using the pasta machine rolls out the pieces of dough. Adjust the machine to the largest opening and dust with a little flour so that the dough does not stick.
- Press a piece of dough a little by hand so that it fits from the opening. Pass the dough through the machine. Fold the dough and repeat two to three times so that the dough becomes smooth. Then, repeat the process, reducing the opening each time, until we reach the narrowest opening.
- With a sharp knife, cut square pieces of dough, measuring 5×5 cm. Add 1 tbsp from the filling in the center of each square.
- Fold into a triangle and make sure that no air is trapped inside the tortellini. Then, wrap the triangle around your finger and seal the two small corners together.
- Follow the same procedure as the rest of the dough.
- Boil the tortellini in plenty of salted water for 3 minutes and strain them.
- Serve the tortellini in a deep dish and pour over the Grana Padano broth.
So this was my recipe for homemade tortellini in Grana Padano broth. Even if you hesitate to make your own pasta, dare to make Grana Padano broth. A broth full of flavor, taste and one would say consciousness as it is made from ingredients that would almost end up in the garbage.
I would be thrilled to hear from you. Even more, if you make my recipe and post a photo of it. Just don’t forget to share your photo under the hashtag #tetisflakes. Please do not hesitate to comment below or contact me on Instagram, or Facebook or Twitter!
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