Vallozzi’s, one of Pittsburgh’s top Italian restaurants, share their Lamb Tortellini recipe with TABLE readers. This classic winter comfort food is hearty and chock-full of soul-warming ingredients, with lamb cooked to perfection and tomato and red wine sauce to enhance the flavor. You can also check out the bartenders from Vallozzi’s contribution to our “Twelve Days of Christmas” cocktail series: their “Five Golden Rings” uses house-made limoncello to create a winning holiday cocktail. Maybe after a luscious dinner of Lamb Tortellini you could mix up one of those limoncello cocktails as a nightcap.
What is the History of Tortellini?
Lamb Tortellini
Description
An Italian comfort food for the colder months.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 16 oz canned peeled tomatoes
- 1 lamb shank
- Store-bought pasta sheets
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Flour (for dredging)
- 1 egg yolk (for sealing pasta)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
Prepare the Lamb:
- Lightly coat the lamb shank with flour and season with salt.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and sear the lamb for 2 minutes on each side. Once browned, remove the shank from the pan.
Cook the Vegetables
- In the same pan, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are soft and translucent.
- Add the rosemary sprig and red wine, cooking until the wine reduces by half.
Braise the Lamb:
- Return the seared lamb shank to the pan. Add the canned tomatoes and chicken stock.
- Cover the pan tightly with cling wrap and foil. Transfer to a preheated oven and braise at 325°F for 3 hours, until the lamb is fork-tender.
Prepare the Filling:
- Once the lamb is tender, remove it from the pan and let it cool slightly. Strain the braising liquid and set it aside for the sauce.
- In a food processor, combine the lamb, vegetables, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Set this mixture aside as the filling for the tortellini.
Reduce the Sauce:
- Pour the strained braising liquid back into the saucepan and reduce it over medium heat until it thickens by half. This will serve as the sauce.
Make the Tortellini:
- Cut the store-bought pasta sheets into 3.5 x 3.5-inch squares.
- Place 1 teaspoon of the lamb filling in the center of each square.
- Brush the edges of the pasta with egg yolk. Fold the square into a triangle, pressing the edges to seal and remove any air pockets.
- Shape the tortellini by wrapping the corners around your pinky finger and pressing to seal.
- Cook and Serve:
- Cook the tortellini in boiling salted water for 6 minutes, until tender.
- Toss the cooked tortellini in the reduced sauce and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of Vallozzi’s
Photography by Dave Bryce
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