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How to make Tortellini

How to make Tortellini

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Homemade Tortellini is not only fun and easy to make in your own kitchen, but nothing compares to the taste and texture of fresh homemade pasta.

This recipe was inspired by our Cypriot recipe for Kaloirka which have a meat filling and a Greek-style creamy tortellini with chicken carbonara.

My family loves homemade pasta and carbonara, so as this was our main dish, I combined it with chicken breast to make it filling.

The pasta is a bit time consuming to make but it is worth the time and effort!

So, what are Tortellini?

Tortellini are ring-shaped pasta, stuffed with cheese or meat, served in a broth , though other sauces are also popular.

I’ve made homemade pasta before and I have the technique down! Don’t be intimidated by the process. I will walk you through it, step by step, and share as many tips and tricks as I can. 

Do I need special equipment?

Of course not. Do you think that our grandmothers who made homemade pasta needed a stand mixer or a pasta roller?

Wrong. They’ve obviously been making pasta without any fancy tools for as long as pasta has been around.

But like with any job, the right tools make it easier, so I have used my Kenwood Chef Mixer with it’s pasta attachment.

Making eggless pasta image

The dough

To make fresh pasta we will need 00 type flour, eggs, salt and olive oil (100 g flour for 1 egg per serving).

The dough image

If you do not want eggs in your pasta, just substitute the eggs with either water or milk. See me recipes for Ravioles, Kaloirka, Makarounotes Hilopites and Gogges.

How do you make pasta from scratch?

Well, it’s a two part process. First you must make the dough.

Then, after a rest period, you will then roll it out and cut it to your desired shape. 

When do I know if the dough is ready?

You know the dough is ready when it gathers around the hook. If making the dough manually, it should not stick to the hands. More kneading will be required if made by hand.

To test, stick your knuckle into the dough. It should slowly push back. If you create an indentation and the dough just stays, you need to continue kneading.

Next, you’ll just need to cover your dough, either with plastic wrap or a towel, and let it rest at least 30 minutes. This is what allows the gluten to form so that you can then roll it easily.

Pasta dough wrapped in cling film image

How to make the pasta

  • In a bowl whisk the eggs with a fork or a hand mixer.
  • Attach the hook to your mixer.
  • Put the flour in your mixer’s bowl and turn the mixer on, on low. Gradually add the egg mixture.
  • Add the salt and olive oil and mix until the dough is attached around the hook.
  • Put it on your work surface and need for a few minutes.
  • Wrap in cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Rolling the dough

You can roll out the pasta dough manually, using a rolling pin, same way as phyllo is made.

The other way is using a pasta maker. If you have a manual pasta roller it is graded from 1 – 5. To make the pasta dough thin, work it from 1 until 4. Number 5 is very thin and will break the dough.

If you have an attachment to your stand mixer, it is graded from 1 – 9. The best number to stop is Nr. 7.

Cut the dough into small pieces, the size of an egg, keeping the remaining covered, so as not to dry.

Form the dough into a ball disk and then press with your fingers to flatten it.

Flour the dough as well as your work surface.

Set your pasta roller to Nr. 1 and roll through the pasta roller.  

Then, change thickness to 2 and send dough through.

During each stage add some flour on the dough sheet. 

Continue process stepping through thicknesses 3, 4 (on manual) or 5 and end with 6 or 7, depending on how thin you want it.

If it makes a hole, just fold in the middle and repeat on the previous thickness.  

To make tortellini

Use a cookie cutter or a glass and press the dough to cut into about 6 cm diametre circles.

Cutting the dough image

Leftover dough pieces are gathered and rolled again.

Put a teaspoon filling in the middle of the circle and fold to cover the filling. 

Press gently around the edges, so that it seals (if it is too dry, wet the dough with water, milk or egg.

To form into the tortellini shape, take one piece and start wrapping it around your index finger.  Join the two edges.  Then take the top edge and fold it down and remove it from your finger.

Set on a non-stick sheet or on a floured surface, until ready to cook.  

If making fettuccine or other long pasta, dredge in flour and hang pasta on a drying rack.

To cook, bring a large pot of heavily-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender (approximately 3 – 5 minutes). When making lasagna, no need to boil noodles.  

If making a big batch we can store them in the fridge for 2 – 3 days before cooking them or in the freezer up to three months.

The cooking time is doubled when cooking them frozen.

A few ways to cook Tortellini is with an alfredo sauce or make them carbonara (see my recipe below) or with a Marinara sauce.

Manual pasta roller image

How to make Tortellini

Yield: 1 kilo
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Active Time: 1 hour
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: medium
Estimated Cost: 3 - 5 Euros

Tortellini with Homemade Pasta is not only fun and easy to make in your own kitchen, but nothing compares to the taste and texture of fresh homemade pasta.

Materials

For the dough:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 370 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt

For the filling:

  • 200 grams anthotyros
  • 100 grams graviera cheese
  • 100 grams feta
  • Finely grated black pepper
  • 4 tbsp milk

Tools

  • Stand mixer with Pasta roller attachment or Pasta Machine or rolling pin
  • Hand mixer or whisk or a fork
  • Non-Stick mat or work surface
  • Knife (optional)
  • Cookie cutter or glass

Instructions

Prepare the dough 

  1. Whisk the eggs with a hand mixer or a whisk or a fork.
  2. Attach the dough hook to the mixer.
  3. Put the flour in the bowl of your mixer and turn it on low.
  4. Add the eggs a little at a time and mix until the dough is attached around the hook and is not sticking to the hands.
  5. Flour your work surface. Begin gently folding the dough with the palm of your hand, flattening, and folding again 
  6. Rotate the dough 90 degrees each time before repeating this procedure.
  7. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in cling film.
  8. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes for the gluten to develop.

Rolling the dough:

  1. Cut the dough into small pieces, the size of an egg, keeping the remaining covered, so as not to dry.
  2. Form the dough into a ball disk and then press with your fingers to flatten it.
    Flour the dough as well as your work surface.
  3. Set your pasta roller to Nr. 1 and roll through the pasta roller.
  4. Then, change thickness to 2 and send dough through.
  5. During each stage add some flour on the dough sheet 
  6. Continue process stepping through thicknesses 3, 4 (on manual) or 5 and end with 6 or 7, depending on how thin you want it.
  7. If it makes a hole, just fold in the middle and repeat on the previous thickness.
  8. Then cut as desired.

Prepare the filling:

  1. Crumble the cheese, add the milk and mix.

Prepare the tortellini:

  1. Use a cookie cutter or a glass and press the dough to cut into circles.
  2. Leftover dough pieces are gathered and rolled again.
  3. Put a teaspoon filling in the middle of the circle and fold to cover the filling 
  4. Press gently around the edges, so that it seals (if it is too dry, wet the dough with water, milk or egg.
  5. To form into the tortellini shape, take one piece and start wrapping it around your index finger 
    Join the two edges  Then take the top edge and fold it down and remove it from your finger.
  6. Set on a non-stick sheet or on a floured surface, until ready to cook.
  7. Fresh tortellini are cooked in salted water for 3 - 5 minutes.



Did you make this project?

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Homemade chicken tortellini carbonara image

Chicken Tortellini Carbonara

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

This chicken tortellini is a Greek-style carbonara as we add cream and yoghurt to the sauce.

Ingredients

  • 500 grams tortellini
  • Chicken broth
  • Salt
  • 500 chicken breast, cut into thin (1 cm) pieces
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 200 grams oyster mushrooms
  • 3 slices bacon
  • 1 cup white dry wine
  • 200 ml light cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 100 grams Greek yoghurt
  • Salt and freshly grated black pepper
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan
  • A few tablespoons finely chopped parsley.

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and sauté the chicken on both sides.
  2. Remove to a platter and add the mushrooms. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the bacon and also sauté for a few minutes.
  3. Add the chicken back, deglaze with the wine, add salt and pepper and cook for ten minutes, covered.
  4. In the meantime whisk the eggs and the cream, the yoghurt and the Parmesan and mix.
  5. Add the mixture to the chicken and stir.
  6. Simultaneously, cook the tortellini for five minutes in the chicken broth with some salt. Add them to the chicken with a bit broth and stir for 2 minutes.
  7. Serve hot with additional Parmesan cheese and with some freshly grated black pepper and finely chopped parsley on top, if desired.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6
Amount Per Serving Calories 650Saturated Fat 10gUnsaturated Fat 27gCholesterol 354mgSodium 655mgCarbohydrates 68gFiber 3gSugar 11gProtein 50g

Did you make this recipe?

Tried this recipe? Tag me @ivyliac and use the hashtag #kopiaste!

Collage how to make homemade tortellini image

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!

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