Cappelletti (or caplèt in the Romagnol dialect) are a stuffed pasta whose name comes from their distinctive shape, reminiscent of a small hat.
Pellegrino Artusi describes them in his book La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene, first published in 1891: Cappelletti all’uso di Romagna, with a filling based on ricotta (or ricotta and raviggiolo), capon breast or pork loin, cooked in capon broth.
Ingredients and Preparation
For the pasta dough:
- 600 g flour
- 6–8 whole eggs
For the filling:
- 400 g soft fresh cheese (campagnolo and casatella, or ricotta and raviggiolo)
- 200 g Parmigiano
- 2 whole eggs
- a pinch of nutmeg
- salt and pepper
Chicken or capon broth
First prepare the pasta dough and let it rest between two plates. Then make the filling (il batù in Romagnol dialect) by carefully mixing all the ingredients.
Roll out the pasta sheet thinly, using a rolling pin or a pasta machine. Cut into squares of about 5 cm per side and place a small amount of filling in the center. Fold the square into a triangle, pressing the edges firmly to prevent it from opening during cooking. Then wrap each triangle around a finger and overlap the two ends: this creates the typical cappelletto shape.
Cook the cappelletti in broth for a few minutes, then let them rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
