Tortelli con la Coda (Braided Tortelli from Piacenza)

Method

1. To make the Tortelli con la Coda, start with the dough: mound the flour on the work surface, make a well in the center and add the eggs, the oil and a pinch of salt.
2. Work with a fork, then continue by kneading with your hands for about 10 minutes, or until you have a smooth, even and elastic dough. Shape it into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, make the filling. Wash and trim the spinach, then transfer it to a pot. Cover with a lid and cook until well wilted.
4. Squeeze it carefully to remove the excess water, chop it with a knife and transfer it to a bowl until it has cooled completely.
5. Push the ricotta through a fine-mesh sieve and transfer it to the bowl with the spinach. Add the egg, the grated Parmigiano, a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of nutmeg, and stir to combine.
6. Take the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin or a pasta machine. When you have sheets that are not too thin, lay them on the work surface and trim the edges to get neat rectangles.
7. Now make a vertical cut in the rectangle (that is, parallel to the short side) and, a couple of centimeters further along, make a diagonal cut. Make another vertical cut and continue in the same way along the whole length of the rectangle.
8. Take one of the pasta diamonds you have made and fill it with a spoonful of filling, placed in the center but slightly toward the short side of the diamond.
9. Starting from the short side of the diamond, fold the pasta inward (the two flaps of pasta you fold now will sit right at the base of the filling).
10. Now fold the pasta over the filling: pinch it lightly a few millimeters from the edge and tuck it over the filling to form a sort of braid, working in a zigzag from right to left, of course.
11. As the tortelli are ready, place them on a floured work surface, spaced well apart from one another.
12. Bring plenty of salted water to a boil and, when it is boiling, drop in the tortelli, which will need to cook for a few minutes. Meanwhile, melt some butter in a small skillet.
13. Drain the tortelli and transfer them to serving plates. Dress with the melted butter, sprinkle with grated Parmigiano to taste, add the sage leaves and serve the Tortelli con la Coda. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!