Ingredients for 4-5 people:400 g plain flour4 eggs1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil1 pinch of salt500 g fresh spinach1 clove of garlic3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil120 g grated aged pecorino cheese (+ 2 tsp per person to sprinkle over the tortelli)350 g fresh sheep’s milk ricotta nutmeg salt pepper140 g butter16 fresh sage leaves
The pasta: pasta should be made in a cool place, without drafts. Pile the flour up and form a “well” in the centre; break the eggs into it, add the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Beat the eggs and oil together with a fork, slowly, taking the flour from the edges, a little at a time; continue mixing. When the dough has become fairly compact, knead it with your hands incorporating all the flour. Knead the dough energetically, using the weight of your whole body, every now and again sprinkling a little flour on the work surface to prevent the dough from sticking. Halfway through this process, wash and dry your hands well: the little pieces of dough that may remain stuck to them could ruin the sheet of pasta as your roll it out. Continue for 10-15 minutes, until you obtain a smooth, elastic “ball”; leave it to rest for half an hour covered with a cotton cloth.
The filling for the tortelli: clean and wash the spinach and, still dripping wet, put it into a large saucepan to cook. Stir from time to time with a wooden spoon, so that it “wilts” thoroughly. When it’s cooked, leave to cool and then squeeze it into balls with your hands, then chop it fairly finely on a chopping board. Heat the peeled clove of garlic with the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan, and then sauté the chopped spinach for 3-4 minutes, over a moderate heat, with a small pinch of salt. Remove the garlic and, once again, wait for the spinach to cool down. Put the spinach in a bowl with the ricotta (squashed with a fork), the grated pecorino, a sprinkling of nutmeg (taste and adjust the quantity according to taste) and a little salt and pepper (once more according to taste). Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.
Take the pasta dough and roll it out (here we use the verb “tirare”, which means to pull) with a rolling pin, or use a pasta-making machine – divide the dough in half to make it easier – until it’s approximately 2 mm thick, using a little flour so that it doesn’t stick. Try to give the sheet of pasta a rectangular shape. Cut it into strips about 16 cm wide and, using two spoons, place small heaps of filling along each one, in a row, roughly 10 cm apart. When you have done one strip, fold the pasta over lengthwise so that it completely covers the spoonfuls of filling. Press the dough down with your fingers around the filling and then separate one tortello from another, cutting them apart with a sharp knife or a pastry cutting wheel. Press the prongs of a fork all around the edge of each one, to avoid the filling leaking out when you cook the tortelli. Repeat with the other strips of pasta dough.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a very low heat; add the sage leaves, which you have washed, patted dry and ripped into pieces (if you prefer you can leave them whole) and stir, then turn off the heat (the butter must not sizzle). Heat the water in a large saucepan (the bigger the better, because they need to be “comfortable” while cooking). When the water comes to the boil, add a large pinch of salt and delicately drop the tortelli in a few at a time. Use a perforated spoon to push them below the surface from time to time, because they tend to float. They should take 8-10 minutes to cook, however fresh pasta can play tricks on you, so after 4-5 minutes try tasting one to see if it’s ready; if necessary, you can also add more salt. When the tortelli are ready, strain them (do so thoroughly, using a slotted spoon) and lay them on a serving dish that you have heated previously. Pour the (hot) butter and sage dressing over them, mix delicately, sprinkle with plenty of grated pecorino, and serve immediately while nice and hot.