Maria and Erminia’s Cappelletti in Brodo

Cappelletti is a delicate handmade pasta filled with a finely balanced meat and cheese mixture, served in a rich, comforting broth. It translates to ‘little hats’ and they are shaped by wrapping the pasta around your fingers. In Romagna, they’re a festive favourite but every family has their own specific mix for the filling and ways of flavouring their broth. Maria and Erminia prepared their version for us. As they say, they can’t remember a single year without cappelletti, the classic Christmas Day primo in this region. If you liked this one, why not compare it to our Granny Finder, Livia’s family recipe.

Ingredients

Pasta dough

500 g (about 4 cups) plain flour
6 large eggs
A pinch of salt

Meat filling

150g pork loin
150g chicken breast
100g turkey breast
150g cow’s milk ricotta, well drained
50g Parmigiano Reggiano, aged 24 months, finely grated
2 eggs
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Broth

2 litres water
1–2 teaspoons coarse salt
300 g beef (suitable for broth)
1 capon (or chicken, approx. 1.2–1.5 kg)
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 medium potatoes, peeled
20 small tomatoes

Method

Prepare the pasta: Place the flour on a clean work surface and make a well in the centre. Add the eggs and salt, then gradually incorporate the flour. Knead until smooth and elastic. Wrap the dough and allow it to rest for at least 1 hour.
Prepare the filling: Gently cook the pork, chicken and turkey until fully cooked through. Allow to cool slightly, then chop and grind very finely using a mixer. Transfer to a bowl and mix with the ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. The mixture should be smooth and well combined. Set aside.Prepare the brothBring the water to the boil in a large pot and add the coarse salt. Add the beef, capon, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 1–2 hours, allowing the flavours to develop fully. Keep the broth hot but not rapidly boiling.
Assemble the cappelletti: Roll out the rested pasta dough very thinly, about 1–2 mm thick. Cut into squares approximately 4×4cm. Place a small amount of filling in the centre of each square. Fold into a triangle, then bring the two corners together and press to seal, forming the classic cappelletti shape.
Cook the cappelletti directly in the gently simmering broth for 3–5 minutes, until they float to the surface. Serve hot in the broth, with an optional sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano on top.