LEMON MASCARPONE TORTELLONI
Homemade tortelloni filled with ricotta, mascarpone, lemon, basil, and Parmesan cheese.
Equipment
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Piping Bag (or large ziplock bag alternative)
- Square or Round Pasta Cutter
- Large Pot
- Large Pan
Ingredients
Fresh Egg Pasta - Double Batch (see Fresh Pasta 101 below for recipe)
Filling:
- 1 ½ cups Whole-Milk Ricotta Cheese
- ½ cup Mascarpone Cheese - at room temperature
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Egg
- Zest of 1 Lemon - approx 1 ½ teaspoons
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh Basil - finely chopped
Butter & Lemon Sauce:
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Zest
Instructions
- Mix the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, egg, nutmeg, salt, and fresh herbs. Stir until smooth and evenly blended.
- Transfer and chill. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag (or see “Life Hack” below for a DIY version). Seal and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Shape the Tortelloni. Roll out fresh pasta dough into thin sheets. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut circles from the dough. Pipe a small mound (about 1 teaspoon) of filling into the center of each round.Lightly moisten the edge of the pasta with water. Fold the dough in half over the filling to form a half-moon, pressing gently to seal and remove any air pockets.Wrap the two corners around your fingertip and press them together firmly to create the classic tortelloni ring shape.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add tortelloni and cook for 3 minutes, or until they float to the surface.
- Make the sauce. While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add lemon zest and let it sizzle until aromatic (about 2 minutes).
- Toss and serve. Transfer cooked tortelloni directly to the butter-lemon pan along with ¼ cup of pasta water. Gently toss to coat until glossy.
- Serve immediately with fresh parmesan cheese, cracked pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Buon Appetito!
Notes
Fresh Pasta 101 Recipe: Fresh Pasta 101
Serving & Garnish Tips:
- Other sauce alternatives:
- Butter & Sage Sauce, substitute the lemon zest for 10 sage leaves, roughly chopped
- Or toss with a simple Basil Pesto
- This filling yields about 2 cups, enough for approximately 8 servings of tortelloni (as a primi course). For this quantity, prepare a double batch of the Fresh Pasta 101 dough.
- DIY Piping Bag Hack: Spoon your filling into a gallon-size ziplock bag, squeeze the mixture into one corner, twist the top to seal, and snip a small corner off to pipe.
- Tortelloni freeze well, so you can enjoy them later without any loss of flavor. After shaping, arrange them in a single layer on a baking tray (lined with parchment) and freeze for about 45–60 minutes, until firm. Then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container. They’ll keep well for up to 2 months.
- To cook from frozen, simply drop them straight into boiling salted water and cook for 5–6 minutes, or until they float and the pasta is tender.