Tortellini in Brodo di Cappone alla Bolognese

Ingredients

• For the tortellini filling
• 150 g pork loin, finely ground
• 75 g mortadella, finely ground
• 75 g prosciutto crudo, finely ground
• 60 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
• 1 egg
• ¼ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
• For the pasta dough
• 200 g tipo 00 flour
• 2 eggs
• For the capon broth
• 1 whole capon, approximately 1.5–2 kg, cleaned
• 600 g beef shin, bone in
• 2 carrots, whole, peeled
• 2 celery stalks, whole
• 1 onion, halved
• 3 litres cold water

Method

1. 1
   Combine the ground pork loin, mortadella and prosciutto in a bowl. Add the Parmigiano, egg and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly until completely homogeneous. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours. The filling is ready when the three meats have melded into a single, coherent mass — distinct notes of each should still be perceptible on tasting.
2. 2
   Place the capon and beef shin in a large pot. Cover with cold water. Set over a very low flame. Bring to the barest simmer over no less than 45 minutes — the surface must tremble, never roll. Skim the grey foam consistently as it rises. Add the carrot, celery and onion once the broth is clear of foam. Continue at this trembling simmer for 4–5 hours. This is where the dish lives or dies: a broth that has been allowed to boil even once will be cloudy and greasy beyond rescue — no subsequent straining will recover it. The broth is done when it is golden, deeply savoury and its surface shivers but does not break.
3. 3
   Remove the capon and beef shin. Strain the broth through a fine cheesecloth-lined sieve into a clean pot. The broth must be crystal-clear and a deep amber gold. If time permits, refrigerate overnight: the solidified fat lifts cleanly away, leaving a perfectly defatted broth.
4. 4
   Roll the pasta dough to the thinnest setting. Cut into squares of approximately 3 cm. Place a very small amount of filling — no larger than a lentil — at the centre of each square. Fold into a triangle, pressing the edges firmly to seal. Wrap the triangle around the tip of the little finger, pressing the two tail corners together to form the characteristic ring. The finished tortellino must be thumbnail-sized. A tortellino that sits heavily on the finger is too large.
5. 5
   Bring the strained broth to a gentle simmer. Add the tortellini in batches. Cook for 3–4 minutes. They are done when they float and yield a very slight resistance to the bite — al dente, with the filling just set and fragrant with nutmeg.
6. 6
   Ladle broth and tortellini together into warmed bowls, ensuring each portion contains an equal balance of pasta and broth. Serve immediately.