Pork and Cheese Tortellini is a simple make in advance and pop in the freezer meals. The tortellini are surprisingly easy to prepare and take seconds to cook, even directly from frozen. Using parmesan always adds amazing flavour but then mixed with prosciutto, mortadella and pork creates a magical mixture. Serve as a main dish every time with either hot beef stock and crusty bread or a thick cream sauce.
I have used pork in this Italian recipe but cooked ham or cooked gammon go really well. Try serving them inside the tortellini but also added to the sauce for extra body. This truly is one of the easiest pasta dishes to cook and as you made each one by hand, it will always taste better.
Don’t forget, Pork and Cheese Tortellini can be adapted to suit your tastes by adding different cheeses, meats, herbs and spices. That way even the fussy eaters can be happy. Another favourite has be the all cheese tortellini with parmesan, gouda and cheddar. While its not Italian, the flavours are immense.
Pork and Cheese Tortellini
Ingredients
- 1 large eggs free range
- 100 g prosciutto
- 150 g parmesan
- 100 g mortadella
- 100 g pork cooked gammon
- 60 ml white wine
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- ½ bunch parsley chopped/garnish
Pasta Ingredients
- 260 g all purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Place a pan over a medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the pork and cook for a couple of minutes then flip over and repeat.15 g unsalted butter, 100 g pork
- Add the wine and stir with the butter and use this to baste the pork. Turn down the heat and slowly cook the pork basting frequently. When cooked, keep the sauce to serve with the dish.60 ml white wine
- Using a food processor to finely mince the prosciutto, mortadella and the cooked pork. It needs to be finely minced.100 g prosciutto, 100 g mortadella
- Transfer to a bowl and add the sauce from cooking the pork, nutmeg, I egg and the finely grated parmesan and mix well, using your hands or a wooden spatula to combine.1 large eggs, 1 pinch nutmeg, 150 g parmesan
- Cover with plastic wrap/clingfilm and pop in the fridge until needed but at least 6 hours.
- Add the flour and the eggs (1 at a time) into the processor with a dough blade. Turn on low and as the eggs start to mix with the flour, increase the speed slightly until the dough becomes a lovely smooth ball with the sides of the bowl lovely and clean.260 g all purpose flour, 3 large eggs
- Remove from the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap/clingfilm. Pop this into the fridge as well for 30 – 40 minutes.
- When ready, divide the pasta dough into thirds working with one part at a time keeping the rest under a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying out.
- Roll the pasta dough into very thin sheets or use a pasta machine. When the pasta is ready, cut the sheets into squares approx. 1.5-inch square.
- Add about half a teaspoon to each square and then fold the square into a triangle with the filling in the centre of the longest side. Then gently roll the triangle from the longest side to the point sealing the filling in. Then gently fold the two ends together to form tortellini.
- To serve tortellini is very easy. Place a saucepan over a medium high heat and add the beef stock. Once boiling carefully lower the pasta into the stock and don’t worry they will sink.
- However, when they float to the surface, they are cooked and should be removed and served immediately either with the stock or with a thick cream sauce and chopped herbs.½ bunch parsley
Freezing
- If you wish to freeze the tortellini then once they are made, add them to a pan of boiling water literally for 10 seconds and then remove. Place them on kitchen paper to remove excess water. Transfer to a parchment/greaseproof paper lined tray(s) making sure they are not touching each other and place the tray(s) into the freezer for a few hours.
- When frozen, remove and place individual portions into sealable freezer bags and place back in the freezer for up to a month. To cook the frozen tortellini, follow the same instructions as if fresh. Do not thaw.
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