From gapped teeth to three-legged dogs, there is beauty in imperfection.
A traditional part of Christmas dinner in my family, passed down from my nonna, Marisa Terracina, tortellacci is a perfectly imperfect holiday dish. This year, I made it for friends. What’s great about tortellacci (translation: “roughly-made cake” or pasta pocket), is that you can play rough, if that’s your jam. You don’t have to roll a straight line or fold nicely, because this ain’t no tortellini, baby. It’s a hot mess of a big, juicy pocket of spinach and ricotta, topped by a besciamella sauce with hints of nutmeg and parmigiano.
I suggest that you pour yourself a glass of wine, put on your favorite tunes, and channel your inner Italian Jewish nonna while tackling this rich Roman dish. Roll, stuff, fold, and pinch!
You can make them in advance and freeze them, which gives you more time to relax amidst the stress and flurry of the season.
Let the good times roll!
Cynthia Bruckman 