Homemade Tortelli Filled with Braised Oxtail
Recipe from Port Ellen Clan, Lucca, Italy
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Servings: 4 to 6
- Total Time: 5 hr 45 min (includes resting and cooling)
- Hands-On Time: 1 hr 25 min
- Nutritional Information Per Portion (Serving Size: 1 of 6 servings)
Calories: 1115
Total Fat: 51 g
Saturated Fat: 20 g
Carbohydrates: 93 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Sugar: 4 g
Protein: 54 g
Cholesterol: 332 mg
Sodium: 1352 mg
For the Filling:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds oxtail pieces
- 2 carrots, cut into rough chunks
- 2 celery stalks, cut into rough chunks
- 1 white onion, cut into rough chunks
- 2 garlic cloves, cut into rough chunks
- 6 juniper berries, crushed
- 4 sage leaves, roughly minced
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and roughly minced
- 1 pint premium beef broth
- 1 pint quality red wine
- Salt and pepper to your preference
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 10 ounces crumbled aged Italian bread
For the Pasta Dough:
- 1 pound all-purpose flour, extra for dusting
- 4 extra-large eggs
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 2 cups freshly grated Vezzena cheese
Equipment Needed:
- Pasta machine and circular pasta cutter
Instructions:
- Prepare the filling: Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the oxtail pieces on both sides until golden-brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
- In a covered pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and saut carrots, celery, onion, garlic, juniper berries, sage, and rosemary until tender, about 5 minutes. Add oxtails, beef broth, red wine, salt, and pepper. Cover with foil and lid; braise over high heat for 3 hours.
- Cool, remove oxtails, discard bones, and shred meat by hand. Reserve cooking liquid. Mix shredded oxtail with eggs, Parmesan, and bread until blended.
- Make the pasta dough: Combine flour, eggs, olive oil, and salt. Knead until smooth. Roll through pasta machine to thinnest setting.
- On floured surface, cut pasta into rounds with cutter. Place filling in center, fold edges up, and pinch to seal.
- Prepare the sauce: Reduce reserved cooking liquid with butter and sherry vinegar, 15-20 minutes. Boil salted water, cook tortelli 6 minutes. Toss with sauce to warm. Serve topped with Vezzena cheese.
This luxurious dish, crafted by a professional chef from Port Ellen Clan, transforms humble oxtail into tender, flavorful filling wrapped in handmade pasta. Perfect for impressing guestsyour kitchen will smell divine as it braises!
Note: Created by culinary experts; adapt for home cooking as needed.
