Last Updated on November 21, 2023 by Food Articles
Tortellini in brodo is an Italian dish of stuffed pasta parcels in a rich capon (chicken) broth. The pasta is made from flour, water, and egg, rolled out very thinly and cut into squares.
The squares are then folded around a morsel of filling, typically ground pork or chicken with cheese and spices. But tortellini can be filled with almost anything, including ham, different cheeses, and spinach.
The Italians believe that the flavour of tortellini can only be fully appreciated when they are served in this traditional way. Moreover, senior citizens in Italy have traditionally been adding a liberal measure of red wine to their tortellini in brodo for centuries.
This was thought to make the tortellini easier to digest, plus red wine has long been associated with various health benefits.
Tortellini in history
There are records of this dish being enjoyed in Italy as early as the 12th century.
The myth behind tortellini in Brodo concerns the mythological Roman gods Bacchus, Venus, and Mars. Bacchus was the god of fertility, agriculture and wine; Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility; and Mars, the god of war.
The story goes that, journeying between Modena and Bologna, the three deities spent the night at a local inn. In the morning, Mars and Bacchus left early while Venus was still sleeping.
Unable to keep away, the innkeeper peeped through the keyhole of the room and was inspired by the navel of the sleeping goddess to create a navel-shaped pasta: tortellini.
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Chicken noodle soup is good for the soul, with or without the navel-shaped pasta of traditional tortellini. It’s warm, spicy, heartening, and comforting.
Today, tortellini can be bought around the world, ready-made and complete with fillings. Chicken tortellini soup can be prepared and cooked in less than half an hour, which makes it a perfect quick-and-easy family dinner.
The chicken used in this tortellini soup is normally shredded rotisserie chicken, but chicken breasts can also be used. Slice the chicken into 1-inch pieces, and sauté them with seasoning and butter. Sauté the vegetables (for example, onions, celery, and carrots) with garlic and herbs, then add water and cook chicken, vegetables, and tortellini together.
Tortellini today
In Bologna, in 1965, the Dotta Confraternita Del Tortellino, or Learned Order of the Tortellino, was created to preserve the traditional form of the dish. In 1975, this organisation, together with the Italian Culinary Academy, registered the official tortellini recipe.
Every year, in September, the town of Castelfranco Emilia hosts a tortellini festival in which participants dress up and re-enact the legend of the first tortellini. In addition, Italians celebrate National Tortellini Day on February 13th.
Final Word
Everybody thinks their own country is better than most other countries, but there’s one respect in which Italy outstrips all the others. Italy is the only country where tortellini get the full recognition they deserve!
