La Grassa, La Dotta, La Rossa
Bologna is often known as “Las Grassa”, meaning “The Fat”, due to its reputation of being the food capital of the world. It is also the birthplace of famous Italian dishes such as Bolognese sauce, tortellini, mortadella, and tagliatelle al ragù. “La Dotta” is it’s second name, meaning “The Learned”, because of the fact that it is home to one of the oldest universities in the world, the University of Bologna, founded in 1088. And “La Rossa”, meaning “The Red”, due to the color of tiled rooftops and most of the buildings throughout the city. That is the first thing I noticed upon arriving, the very specific red colors of the buildings.
There are many reasons we chose Bologna as our first stop, originally planned as our home base for the entire year. La Dotta was the first reason. This is a city with a young population of university students, so we felt that a solid internet signal for work wouldn't be an issue here like it might have been in some of the more remote areas that we had chosen during our Plan A phase. Second, La Grassa. The food capital? Say no more. It took us only one day to confirm this rumor. Everywhere you turn, you find butcher shops with walls lined in cured meats, roasted meats, porchetta, sliced meats, and prosciutto hanging from the ceiling by the hundreds. Cheese shops abound, and fresh pasta shops are plentiful. In fact, there is a little tortellini shop directly next door to our building’s front door. The woman sells traditional Bolognese tortellini—most often served in brodo (broth)—by the hectogram (etto), which is equivalent to 100 grams. This unit of measurement is commonly used in Italian markets and delis for weighing small quantities of food, such as pasta, cured meats, and cheese. This was our first “home-cooked” meal here, and it was absolutely divine.
Traditional Bolognese Tortellini:
Filling Ingredients:
Pork Loin: Cooked and finely minced.
Mortadella di Bologna: A type of Italian sausage made from finely hashed or ground heat-cured pork, which is flavored with spices and typically includes pistachios.
Prosciutto Crudo: Thinly sliced dry-cured ham.
Parmigiano-Reggiano: Aged Parmesan cheese, grated.
Eggs: Used to bind the filling together.
Nutmeg: For seasoning, giving a warm and slightly sweet flavor.
Salt and Pepper: To taste.
Pasta Dough Ingredients:
Flour: Type "00" flour, which is finely milled and ideal for making pasta.
Eggs: Fresh eggs, typically one egg per 100 grams of flour.
Preparation:
Making the Filling:
Cook the pork loin, then finely mince it along with the mortadella and prosciutto.
Combine the minced meats with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Add a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Mix in one or two eggs to bind the mixture into a cohesive filling.
Making the Pasta Dough:
On a clean work surface, create a mound of flour and make a well in the center.
Crack the eggs into the well and beat them with a fork, gradually incorporating the flour from the edges.
Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. Let it rest for about 30 minutes.
Forming the Tortellini:
Roll out the pasta dough into thin sheets.
Cut the dough into small squares (typically around 3-4 cm per side).
Place a small amount of filling in the center of each square.
Fold the dough over to form a triangle, pressing the edges to seal.
Wrap the triangles around your finger to form the classic tortellini shape, pressing the tips together.
Cooking and Serving:
Cook the tortellini in boiling salted water or in a rich meat broth (in brodo) until they float to the top.
Serve immediately, traditionally in broth (or “brodo”), or with a light cream sauce or a simple butter and sage sauce.