Cappelletti

Cappelletti (‘little hats’), are closely related to tortelli and tortelloni, but with a subtle difference in the way they are formed, leading to a more elongated shape (like an eye when viewed from on top) fashioned after an Alpine trooper’s or cardinal’s hat. Whilst all in this family of stuffed and twisted pasta can be made from squares or circles of dough, most are more elegant when made from squares, and this is especially true of cappelletti. In Emilia-Romagna, and Modena in particular, these are a permanent feature of Christmas lunch, where they appear as a first course stuffed with ricotta, lemon zest and nutmeg and served in a limpid pool of capon broth. As with many older dishes, there are also vegetarian varieties (cappelletti di magro) for lean or fasting days.