Mushroom, Cured Meat and Rose Harissa Tortellini in Broth

Prep: 60 minutes
Cook: 120 minutes

Hard

Serves 8 people

Tortellini in brodo is a classic Italian dish, often enjoyed as a starter before the main course. We added a Belazu twist by using Rose harissa in the filling with cured meats and mushroom. Try drizziling Rose Harissa Oil in the broth before you serve for dramatic colour contrast and a gentle heat. 

Ingredients

For the broth:
750g chicken wings
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
2 carrots, stalk removed and roughly chopped
2 sticks celery
3 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 fresh bay leaves
1 small sprig thyme or rosemary
1 small bunch parsley stalks
2.25 litres water
For the Tortellini:
750g mixed mushrooms, like chestnut and portobello, but a single type is fine cooked then blitzed.
Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil
100g mortadella, finely chopped, or quickly blitzed
100g prosciutto, finely chopped chicken meat, all blitzed up
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp Rose Harissa, pour off oil first, then keep for dressing
50g 22-month Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
500g fresh pasta sheets

Method

Step 0: Heat your oven to 200C fan/220C non-fan. Place the chicken wings on a tray and roast for around 45 minutes, so that they are golden brown and crispy all over. Once roasted, place the wings in a large saucepan, pour off the fat, then add a little hot water to the pan then loosen and scrape off any of the caramelised juices and add to the pan. Add the onions, carrot, celery, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and thyme and 2 litres of water. Bring up to a simmer then gently cook with the lid off, for about 90 minutes, skimming any scum that comes to the surface. Turn the heat off, add the parsley stalks and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and veg (but don’t discard), then strain through a fine sieve and allow to sit. Skim any fat that rises to the top, then taste and add a good pinch salt to season the broth. If the broth has reduced too much, top up with a little water. You need around 150-200ml per serving.
Step 1: Whilst the chicken is roasting, begin to make the tortellini filling. Thinly slice all the mushrooms, or roughly chop them in batches in a food processor. Place a large frying on a high heat, and once hot, add enough mushrooms to cover the pan in a single layer. Season with salt, then allow to cook without stirring for 2-3 minutes, then stir and repeat. The aim is to dry fry the mushrooms to remove as much oil as possible. Once most of the moisture has been release, turn the heat down a little then add a good drizzle of olive oil, and continue to cook until golden brown. Remove the mushrooms from the pan, wipe out pan with paper then place back on a high heat. Repeat the process of cooking the mushrooms, until all of them are cooked.
Step 2: Once cooked, either use a knife to finely chop all the mushrooms to a minced like texture or blitz them in a food processor. Place in a mixing bowl and add the chopped mortadella and prosciutto. If the chicken stock has already been made, pick the meat from the wings and add this to the mix. Drain any oil from the jar of harissa but reserve this for later, then add 3 tbsp and the parmesan to mix, stir through thoroughly and season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more seasoning as needed. Keep the mix in the fridge until ready to make the tortellini.
Step 3: When ready to make the tortellini, set up a chopping board, and small cup of water and a pastry brush. You need to work quickly, so make sure your workspace is clear. Take out a single sheet of pasta and cut it into 6cm squares. Brush lightly with water, then place around 1 tsp of the mix in the middle. Close it diagonally to make a triangle then gently squeeze the side to push out any air. Fold the tip of the triangle down, then with the folded point on the outside, put your finger gently against the lump of filling and wrap the two longer corners around so they meet. Press to join, then remove your finger and place on a tray. Repeat this until you have all the filling has been used, or you have as many tortellini as you need. It is very helpful to watch a few videos to get the hang of the folding technique before you have a go.
Step 4: When ready to serve, bring a large pan of salted water up to the boil and in a separate pan, gently warm the broth. When the salted water is up to a rolling boil, add the tortellini and cook until they rise to the surface, about 3 minutes (you might need to cook them in 2 batches). Take one from the pan and cut into it to check the pasta is cooked. When ready, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place into warm bowls, then pour over the hot chicken broth. Finish with a drizzle of the reserved harissa oil.

Related Recipes