Tortellini: Even though Naples became the center for pasta, it is northern Italy and the region of Emilio-Romagna had an important role in providing us with some of our beloved pasta shapes and fun stories behind them!
Tortellini are ring-shaped pasta, sometimes also described as “navel shaped”, hence their alternative name of “belly button” – ‘ombelico‘.
The origins of tortellini are beautifully whimsical. One story tells that the dish was born in Castelfranco Emilia, a province of Modena. A guest named Lucrezia Borgia checked into an inn in a small town. The innkeeper over the course of the night was so mesmerized by her beauty that he couldn’t resist the urge to take a peek into her room through the keyhole. Since the room was lit with only a few candles, the only glance of Lucrezia he got, was her navel. The innocent vision was enough to send the innkeeper into a passionate frenzy and inspired him to create tortellini that night!
Tortellini is a pasta stuffed with anything from ground meat, ham, cheese, and spinach. It is traditionally served in a thin chicken or beef broth or a light tomato or cream-based sauce. Because this pasta is already stuffed, lighter sauces work best!
We love making tortellini and all of our tortellini are made entirely by hand. This means that should you require a bespoke style of tortellini then we are able to accommodate your every whim and desire.