The origin of green tortelli can be traced back to at least the late Middle Ages. They presumably originated in peasant kitchens, as the ingredients were easy to find, although they were only prepared for Sunday lunches.

This tasty and nutritious dish – able to satiate peasants returning from the fields – has in time crossed the borders of rustic cuisine, joining the ranks of typical regional dishes. They are traditionally served on the Night of St John, 23 June, and during Christmas Eve dinner.

Stuffed pasta has always been the ideal way to create mouth-watering dishes, thanks to the filling that can vary depending on the leftovers in the pantry. In the Emilian countryside, the ‘rezdore’ – housewives and queens of the hearth – used to stuff the fresh pasta sheet with herbs, an ingredient that was pretty easy to find. In addition to the classic chard and spinach, these included a number of wild herbs such as nettles, borage, catalogna and sometimes even Savoy cabbage.

Thanks to its filling, this dish is therefore rich in flavour and taste even though it is quite light and digestible.

Fancy a taste? Then all you have to do is try your hand at it!
Taking the time to roll the dough is always worth it, so put on your apron and follow the traditional recipe for this typical dish from Reggio Emilia.

If you ever get the chance to meet an Emilian nonna, get her recipe. She will give you a priceless heritage!

Ingredients (for 6 people):

Dough:
600 g flour, 6 eggs and salt

Filling:
800 g chard, 800 g spinach,
3-4 tablespoons chopped lard
Garlic
Parsley
300 g Parmesan cheese,
300 g cow’s milk ricotta (or also cow and sheep’s ricotta as used in the Apennines)
Nutmeg

For the seasoning
A knob of butter or meat/mushroom sauce

How to prepare the tortelli

Dough:
Spread the flour on the table, add the eggs and salt in the centre and knead it all together. Leave to rest for half an hour and roll out a thin (but not too thin) sheet with a rolling pin or pasta machine. Take care not to dry out the part you are not using by covering it with a cloth.

Filling:
After boiling the spinach and Swiss chard, drain them, squeeze them out and chop them with the mezzaluna knife. Then put the lard in a large frying pan, add chopped parsley, garlic and finally the chopped vegetables. As soon as the vegetables have cooled, place them in a salad bowl and add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, ricotta cheese, grated nutmeg and mix them all with your hands.

With the help of a spoon and a knife, place the vegetable filling on the dough and shape the tortelli, squeezing gently. Cut them out with a pastry cutter, take one tortello at a time and pinch the edges well with your fingers so that they do not open during cooking, then sprinkle paper trays with flour and lay the tortelli on them.

Good to know: The tortelli filling can be prepared the day before and stored in a suitable, sealed container or wrapped in cling film.

Cook the tortelli in boiling salted water.

Once the tortelli have been drained, simply pour melted butter over them to enjoy them according to tradition, or dress them with a meat or mushroom sauce as they do in the Apennines.