What is Cappelletti? How to make Cappelletti?

Like most pasta, Cappelletti originates from Italy. It’s a type of pasta, stuffed pasta, to be exact. People first started making Cappelletti back in the Middle Ages, and they were classed among the luxury foods of that time. Cappelletti translates to “little hats,” which is the shape of the pasta, and circled or squared dough pieces are used to make this pasta.

In Italy, they’re made in Emilia-Romagna, in the towns of Modena and Bologna. The dough’s shape contributes to the pasta’s shape, and in tradition, it’s meant to be served in a meat broth. But people can alternatively use meat sauce that’s mixed with gently heated heavy cream. You can also add walnut cause, or use browned butter with fresh sage.

Cappelletti Vs Tortellini

The two kinds of pasta do look a lot like each other, so it’s quite common to confuse them. But they’re not the same thing, although they originate from the same reason, which doesn’t mean they’re the same. They’re both served with a meat-and-cheese filling (it can also only be cheese) in chicken broth. They’re usually served as a Christmas dish in central Italy.

The main difference between the two is their size. Tortellini are smaller than cappelletti, although not by a lot, the size difference is still noticeable, and they’re also folded differently.

What are the Main Ingredients?

To make the fillings, you’ll need:

1 tablespoon butter (unsalted)
1/2 chicken breast (or 4 ounces of lean pork)
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (freshly grated)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Optional: 1 pinch of lemon zest
1 pinch of fine sea salt
1 pinch of freshly ground black pepper
For the Pasta:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
Pinch of sea salt

How to Make Cappelletti:

Without further ado, below are the steps you’ll need to follow to make a splendid Cappelletti. There are three things you’ll need to do to make Cappelletti. You’ll need to make the filling first, then make the pasta, and then shape the Cappelletti. Follow the guides listed below for all three.

Filling:

Make sure you have all the ingredients.
First, you’ll need to melt the butter and sauté the chicken in a small saucepan.
Let the chicken cool, and then cut it into small pieces.
Next, you’ll need to mix ricotta cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, whole egg, egg yolk, nutmeg, lemon zest, and finally, salt and pepper with the chicken you sautéed. You’ll need a food blender to do that.
That’s it! All that’s left is to taste the mixture and see if the seasoning needs some adjusting.

Make the Pasta:

Make sure you have all the ingredients.
Make a mound, and form a well in the middle of it on your work surface.
Once that’s done, pour the eggs into the center, and add salt to it. Form a smooth dough by working the eggs and flour together with your hands. If you feel it’s necessary, add a few drops of water to get that smooth consistency.
Next, you’ll need to knead the dough for about 10 to 15 minutes until it turns smooth, firm, and elastic. Ensure you don’t shorten the time or increase it as it could tear the dough when you’re rolling it out.
After that, make two equal pieces of dough.
Sprinkle flour on your work surface, roll out the dough from the middle, and occasionally flip it over. If you must, add the flour to prevent it from sticking to the surface.
Keep doing it until you get an almost transparent sheet, as thin as you can. Don’t worry about that; the pasta will thicken when you cook it.

Shape the Cappelletti:

After making the think sheet, you’ll need to use a round cookie or use any tool to cut out 2-inch-diameter circles of the dough.
Add 1 teaspoon of the stuffing in the middle of the circle.
You can use your fingertip or a pastry brush, if you have one, to moisten the edges of the circle, adding a small amount of water to seal it.
After that, you’ll need to fold the circles to form a “half-moon” shape and press it down with your fingers to seal the edge.
Next, you’ll need to pull the two corners towards each other and overlap them. Press down on the tips to help them stick fast together.
Do this in all the circles to form cappelletti.
Boil them in water or broth, depending on what you prefer.

That’s just about it! That’s all you’ll need to make splendid Cappelletti. There are a few things you should keep in mind, though.

If you’re serving in broth and water, you’ll need to boil the Cappelletti (gently) in the broth for 3-5 minutes, depending on how long they take to cook. Each serving should contain about 10-15 cappelletti in a broth bowl, but you can increase that amount if you want.

If you’re serving it as a pasta dish, make sure you boil it in water for the same amount of time or cooked. You can either serve it in a meat sauce or toss it with a small amount of olive oil with salt and pepper.

That’s just about it! We hope this article helps you make a splendid Cappelletti, and if you have any further queries or would like to add something to this article, feel free to comment down below, and we’ll try to respond to as many queries as we can!