Tortelli cremaschi

Origins

The tortelli cremaschi may have born during the long Republic of Venice . In support of this theory there are at least two factors: the first is that nowadays it's a typical dish spread only in the city of Crema, actually within the borders of the ancient territory of Crema which belonged to Venice. The second one due to the ingredients of the filling: amaretti biscuits, spices, candied fruit and raisins are all goods which came from the trades with the Orient, which were under the monopoly of the Venetians for centuries.

The modern recipe dates from the end of the 19th century.

The custom

The tortelli represent the most important dish of the celebration; they are usually prepared for festivals, weddings,or other family anniversaries. However they aren't Christmas or Easter food. Every village and every family has its own recipe, slightly different.

The shape

The shape of the tortelli is unique in Italian gastronomy. A small amount of filling is placed in the middle of a small circle of dough, which is then folded over into a half-moon. The edges are pinched and superimposed by hand in order to create five crests. In some villages people make them in a square and use a fork to press them closed. But this does not conform to the tradition. The "cremaschi" of ancient times said that the usage of the fork was used by countrymen in order to save money. In this way there was no waste of pasta.

The ingredients

The tortelli have a balance of tastes. The filling is sweet and spicy, while pasta and condiment are salted, gelatinous and fatty. The secret consists in the perfect balance between the quantity of the filling and the dough. In order to maintain the harmony, the tortelli have to be made of the right quantity of pasta and filling. In any case egg pasta must not be used. Tortelli have to be formed by a thick circle of pasta cooked for a long time (20/40 min). Egg pasta is not suitable because it loses the filling.

The pasta

To prepare the pasta throw all the flour into the boiling water lightly salted and then knead until an elastic ball is formed. At the end the colour should be grey. If you want, you could use a pasta maker adding only one egg for each kilo of flour, and a spoonful of oil in order to give more flexibility.

Any recipe that uses more than an egg per kilo of flour is not considered traditional.

The filling

Some people add meat or soup, but this doesn't belong to the traditional recipe.

In order to prepare the filling, pour it in a mixing bowl and then add the amaretti biscuits (yet grated), the soften and dried raisin, the crumbled Mostaccino biscuit, the grated mint candies, grated cedro, grated cheese, the egg yolk, the lemon skin, a bit of grated bread, the Marsala and if necessary a bit of broth to make it softer. Let it stand in the fridge for an entire day. The following day prepare the fillo dough and let it rest in a rag for about an hour. Stretch the dough to create circles, dish out the filling and fold them into half-moons. Remember to press the edges three times. Cook them into salted boiling water and stir occasionally.

The condiment

Lay down each layer of tortelli in a soup tureen, get it wet and add grated Grana cheese, thereafter let it rest for a few minutes.