According to a popular legend, a chef, spying through a keyhole,
beheld Venus's navel. So moved was he by the experience that he vowed not to rest until he had managed to create a recipe which faithfully reproduced the celestial vision he had witnessed. As if this task weren't difficult enough, the chef decided he wanted to better the pagan gods who had created Venus (and the bewitching navel), by creating an even smaller and more delicate masterpiece than the original. Thus came about the tortellino , one of the best known dishes in the world. According to ancient Bolognese tradition, the real tortellino, which must be hand-made, is served only in broth (i.e. meat broth rather than stock-cubes!), even if some "experts" spoil it with sauces and cheap ragout.
By the way: ragout is a french term meaning a product which is exclusively synonymous with Bologna.
This recipe, according to mamma Alda, is really very
simple, the secret being in the dexterity of the cook. There are three basic principles to remember: (1) the ingredients must be absolutely fresh; (2) the pasta dough must be prepared with a rolling pin (forget using your "pasta machine"!); (3) the tortellino must be size of a finger nail (although mamma Alda says that this last part is dictated only by tradition, and therefore is less important).
Now it's up to you to try making your own tortellini at home.
I defy anyone to prepare better tortellini than those of mamma Alda! If you have any comments and suggestions, or you think you can compete with mamma Alda, send me an e-mail. I would like to point out that no historical research has been conducted on this matter. It is purely based on the stories I have been told by mamma Alda and Aunt Donatella. I will content myself with its validity until anyone can prove otherwise. (Thankyou in advance to anyone who does.)
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