Tortelli di Zucca con Mandorle
Don't be fooled by the broth — this is not a soup recipe. Only a very small amount of broth is poured over thetortellibefore serving. To grate the cheese, use the ragged-edged holes of a box grater (not the teardrop-shaped holes we recommend in our Recipe Tips). That way, you'll have the correct texture for the filling.
Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 6 1/4 hr (includes making stock)
Ingredients
Makes 4 first-course servings
For pasta dough
For squash filling
For broth
Special Equipment
Make pasta dough:
Step 1
Blend all dough ingredients in a food processor until mixture just begins to form a ball, 1 to 2 minutes. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface, incorporating only as much additional flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking, until smooth, 6 to 8 minutes (dough will be stiff but will soften as it rests). Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature 1 hour.
Make filling:
Step 2
Stir together squash, yolks, crumbs, 2/3 cup cheese, and pepper until combined well. Chill filling until ready to use.
Roll and cut pasta:
Step 3
Set smooth rollers of pasta machine on widest setting. Divide dough into 4 pieces, then flatten each piece into a rectangle. Cover rectangles with plastic wrap.
Step 4
Dust 1 rectangle with flour and feed it through rollers 8 or 9 times, folding it in half and rotating dough a quarter turn each time and dusting it with flour if necessary to prevent it from sticking.
Step 5
Turn dial to next (narrower) setting and feed dough through once without folding, then continue to feed dough through machine, making space between rollers narrower each time and dusting with flour if dough begins to stick, until narrowest setting is reached. Catch pasta with your hand as it feeds through rollers instead of letting it crumple at base of machine. Pasta should be a long, smooth sheet, about 18 inches long and 4 inches wide. Keep covered with clean kitchen towels. Roll out remaining pieces of dough, 1 piece at a time.
Form tortelli:
Step 6
Cut each pasta sheet into 4 (4-inch) squares.
Step 7
Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons filling in center of 1 square, then brush water around edges. Lift 2 opposite corners together to form a triangle and enclose filling, pressing edges firmly around mound of filling to eliminate air pockets and seal. (Iftortelliare not sealed properly, filling will seep out during cooking.) Moisten opposite corners of long side. Curl moistened corners toward each other, overlapping one on top of the other, and carefully press corners together to seal. Make moretortelliin same manner. (You will have a little filling left over.)
Step 8
Arrangetortelliin 1 layer in a well-floured shallow baking pan, covered with kitchen towels, and let dry, about 30 minutes. Brush off any excess flour with a pastry brush before cooking.
Make broth and cook tortelli:
Step 9
Bring stock to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, then add half oftortelli和炖,发现,轻轻搅拌分离, until pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl and cook remainingtortelliin same manner, transferring as cooked to bowl.
Step 10
While second batch oftortelliis cooking, heat oil in a small skillet over moderately low heat and cook almonds, stirring frequently, until golden, about 4 minutes. Dividetortelliand some broth among 4 soup plates and top with almonds, including oil, and remaining cheese.
Step 11
*Available at Italian markets and specialty foods shops.
·Tortelli can be formed and dried 1 day ahead and chilled in well-floured baking pan, covered with a towel and then plastic wrap.
·Spare pasta trimmings can be cooked in boiling salted water, then tossed with butter and parmesan.
