Homemade Tortellini
THE PASTA #1:
Using 2 3/4 cups flour, 3 eggs, a pinch of salt, and, if need be, a spoonful of water. Knead for 10-15 minutes (by hand or machine) until gluten/elasticity is developed. (Dough will be fairly dry.) Divide the dough into two pieces. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes. Roll one of the pieces out till it’s as thin as a dime and cut it into 1 1/2 inch squares with a serrated pasta wheel. Put a 1/2 teaspoon of filling on each square and fold the squares diagonally to make triangles, tamping them well so the filling won’t come out while they’re cooking. (Lightly mist or brush two edges with water to help dough stick.) Wrap each triangle around your little finger (with triangle tip pointing up). Twist other ends around finger and tuck ends a half twist; bend the top point down. Should look like a hat or navel. Set the finished tortellini on a lightly floured surface to rest. When you’re done with the first sheet, roll out the second and continue until the stuffing is used up. Bring 1 1/2 quarts of broth (or water) to a boil and gently cook the tortellini till they’re done (the pasta should be al dente, about 5 minutes). (They should float to the top.) Serve with grated cheese. Each diner should get between 12 and 18 tortellini depending upon how big you made them, and this recipe will feed four.
Serving Option: Add some tomato or spaghetti sauce to a baking dish, top it with the cooked tortellini, then top that with more sauce and slices of fresh mozzarella. Bake it for about 15 minutes.
Extra tortellini can be frozen to cook later in your favorite Italian recipe.
THE PASTA #2: Herb Spiced Tortellini with Mozzarella & Parmesan Filling
3 cups All Purpose Flour
4 Large Eggs
Dash of Salt
2 to 3 Tablespoons Combined of the following Spices:
Powdered Garlic, Oregano, Basil, Powdered Parmesan, Ground Red Pepper, Ground Sundried Tomatoes, Onion Powder
(you may use any herbs you see fit – I used the above blend because of the great flavor and the way it added a lot of color to the pasta.)
Using your stand mixer and dough hook, combine all ingredients on low speed until very well combined and the dough is a big ball. This is a tough dough, so watch the mixer – it will fight you a bit. Remove the dough and begin to knead the dough by hand until smooth and pushes back. I kneaded by hand at least 15 minutes, maybe more. Form into a ball and tightly wrap in plastic while you prepare the filling.
Tortellini cheese filling #1:
Around 1 cup Grated Fresh Mozzerella (or grated pre-packaged will work, too)
1/3 cup Fresh Ground Parmesan
Pinch Garlic Powder
Tortellini cheese filling #2:
Combine some ricotta cheese with shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan
Tortellini cheese filling #3:
· 1 1/4 pounds well-drained fresh ricotta
· 4-5 egg yolks
· The zest of a lemon, grated
· 3 tablespoons sugar
Preparation: Put the ricotta through a strainer and mix the other ingredients into it. Roll the pasta out into a very thin sheet, and use a glass or round cookie cutter to cut out about 50 disks. Put a spoon full of the filling in each, and fold them over, tamping the edges well to be sure they stick.
Tortellini cheese filling #4:
Yield: 1 Servings
· ¼ c. Olive oil
· 2 md Onions; roughly chopped
· 2 tb Minced garlic
· 1 ts Salt; or as desired
· 1/2 ts Ground white pepper
· 1/4 ts Mace
· 1 tb Chopped fresh thyme leaves
· 1 lb Cottage cheese
· 1 lb Hoop pot or ricotta cheese
· 1 lb Mozzarella cheese grated -or shredded
· 6 Eggs; lightly beaten
Preparation: HEAT OIL OVER MEDIUM HEAT in a small pot add the onions and garlic and cook stirring 5 minutes. Scrape mixture into a large bowl and add the salt pepper mace thyme and three cheeses. Mix well add the eggs and mix to incorporate. Stuffing can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze place 1-cup amounts of stuffing in air-tight freezer bags or containers label and place in freezer for up to 3 months. Makes 6 Cups Filling
White bean filling
Tom Colicchio
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup dried white beans, soaked overnight
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 shallots, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 ounce pancetta, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups blonde chicken stock
• Kosher salt, as needed
• Freshly cracked black pepper, as needed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
DIRECTIONS
In a heavy-bottomed pot, add peanut oil, shallots, and pancetta, and cook over medium heat until shallots are translucent. Add garlic and cook for approximately 1 minute.
Add beans and stock and season with salt and pepper; tie thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf with kitchen twine and add to pot.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the beans are very tender but not falling apart, approximately 2 hours.
Remove herbs from pot. Drain and cool.
Place cooked beans in a food processor with olive oil and purée beans, scraping down the sides. Add a little stock if necessary, and season with salt and pepper.
Fold in fresh herbs.
Pumpkin filling
Tom Colicchio
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups pumpkin, peeled and cubed
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
• 1 egg, beaten
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Heat a large sauté pan over low heat and add 5 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter begins to foam, add the pumpkin. Cook until it softens and falls apart, stirring to prevent burning. Add cream and half the sage and cook over a low heat until the mixture is thick and no liquid remains, approximately 1 hour. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat and beat in an additional 3 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the beaten egg, season, and let cool. Once cooled, fold in herbs.
Tortellini Tapa – Appetizers (Utube)
Tortellini – cheese filled
¼ c. Cilantro
Salsa
Peppercorn Ranch Dressing
1 Eggs
Italian Bread crumbs
2 cups frying oil
Bring kettle full of water to boiling. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions (if homemade, 7-9 minutes. Once cooked, drain and cool 10 minutes. Begin heating 2 cups oil.
Mix egg with ½ c. peppercorn ranch dressing with hands, dredge cooled tortellini in dressing mixture and then roll in bread crumbs. Chill one hour.
Put coated tortellini in heated oil. Cook about 3 minutes per side until golden brown, puffy, and floating. Remove with a slotted spoon. And drain on paper towel. Keep warm in oven at 200 degrees until ready to serve.
Dip: Wash cilantro and remove cilantro leaves from stems. Chop. Add cilantro to about ½ cup of peppercorn ranch dressing and 1 cup of salsa (to taste). Mix and chill.
Chocolate Truffle Cake
submitted by Jennifer Jackson
Cook any cake mix you like. Let it cool completely. Then put cake into food processor. Put ground up cake into bowl.
Set out:
1 8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend together in separate bowl. Cream together. Then add cream cheese mixture to the ground up cake. Mix together. Roll into balls and place in freezer for about 10 minutes. Melt chocolate in microwave then dip frozen balls into chocolate. Cover completely. Set on wax paper and let set up. The chocolate will re-harden. If not hardening fast enough, put it in the fridge. Enjoy!
Note: You can get different colored chocolate at Bakers C&C located at 44 West Vine Street in Murray (just Northeast of Intermountain Medical Center).
Note: You can find a similar recipe to this one called "Cake Balls" if you click on the "cake" tab on the left side of the homepage for the blog.
Here is Kirstin Johnson's version of this same recipe. It sounds yummy:
Use a German Chocolate cake mix and bake as with the others. Mix in a can of German Cholate frosting and cool in fridge. When cooled, melt chocolate chips with a little crisco in the microwave. Dip balls in chocolate and sprinkle candy on the top (I used crushed butterfingers). Let cool on a cookie sheet in the fridge. Super rich and super good. Donna Peterson made these, but she used a brownie mix instead of a cake mix and then used white chocolate chips to add a little change in color. Hers were great too!
The following recipes were submitted by Natalie Ethington:
Wendy's Chili Knock-off Recipe: (serves 12)
2 pounds ground beef
1-29 oz. can tomato sauce
1-29 oz. can kidney beans (with liquid)
1-29 oz. can pinto beans (with liquid)
1 c. diced onion (1 medium)
1/2 c. diced green chili pepper (2 chilies) or canned diced chilies
1/4 c. diced celery (1 stalk)
3 medium tomatoes, chopped (or equivalent canned tomatoes)
2-3 tsp. cumin powder
3 T. chili powder
1-1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 c. water
Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain off the fat. In a large pot, combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 2-3 hours (or 4-5 hours using a crock-pot on high).
Rass-Ma-Tazz Bars
1/2 c. butter or margarine
2 c. (12 oz.) white choc. chips, divided
2 large eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 c. seedless raspberry jam
1/4 c. toasted sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and sugar 9 inch square baking pan. Melt butter in medium, uncovered microwave-safe bowl on high for 1 minute; stir. Add 1 cup white chips; let stand (do not stir).Beat eggs in large mixer bowl until foamy. Add sugar; beat until light lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Stir in morsel-butter mixture. Add flour, salt and almond extract; mix at low speed until combined. Spread 2/3 of batter into prepared pan. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Remove from oven to wire rack.Heat jam in small, microwafe safe bowl on high for 30 seconds; stir. Spread jam over warm crust. Stir remaining chips into remaining batter. Drop spoonfuls of batter over jam. Sprinkle with almonds.Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
Black-Bottom Coconut Bars
FOR CHOCOLATE BASE:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
FOR COCONUT TOPPING:
2 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 package (7 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut; ½ cup reserved for sprinkling
For chocolate base: Preheat oven to 375°. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving a slight overhang; butter bottom and sides of foil (not overhang). Place butter in a large microwave-safe bowl; melt in microwave. Add sugar and salt; whisk to combine. Whisk in egg, then cocoa and flour until smooth. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake just until sides begin to pull away from edges of pan, 10 to 15 minutes (do not overbake). Let cool slightly while preparing coconut topping. Keep oven on for topping.
For coconut topping: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with sugar and vanilla. Gently mix in flour and coconut (except ½ cup reserved for sprinkling). Drop mounds of mixture over chocolate base; spread and pat in gently and evenly with moistened fingers. Sprinkle with reserved ½ cup coconut. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Lift cake from pan, peel off foil, and cut into 24 bars. Store in an airtight container 3 to 4 days.
