Tortellini Pasta Dough

This recipe is the basic method for making toretellinis.

2 cups flour, unbleached
1 tsp. sea salt
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. water

2-3 cups prepared filling
all-purpose flour, for dusting

Equipment:
pasta roller
sharp knife and/or 3" round cookie cutter

Make Dough:  Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Create a well with the flour and salt.

In a bowl whisk together the three eggs, oil and water thoroughly. Add wet ingredients little by little to center of flour well, mixing gradually until dough becomes a ball.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until ball is smooth and elastic. Add more water if necessary. Allow to rest for thirty minutes in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap.

Shaping round tortellini:  Cut the sheet into rounds using a 3" round cutter, spacing the rounds as close together as possible. Gather the scraps into a ball and put them with the remaining pieces of dough to re-roll later. Place 1 tsp. of filling in the middle of each round of pasta. Dip your finger in the bowl of water and run it along the edge of the round to moisten. Fold the dough over to form a half moon, then draw the two corners together to form a rounded bonnet-shape. Press tightly to seal. Toss with flour, set aside on well-floured baking sheet, and cover. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough, re-rolling the scraps.

Shaping square tortellinis:  Cut the sheet of pasta into squares roughly 3x3". Place 1 tsp. of filling (check out the filling recipes for ideas) in the middle of each square of pasta. Dip your finger in the bowl and run it along two edges of the square. Fold the square into a triangle, pressing the top together and then working your way along the sides. Square Tortellini #1: Draw the bottom two corners of the triangle together to form a kerchief shape. Press tightly to seal. Toss with flour, set aside on well-floured baking sheet, and cover. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Square Tortellini #2: Fold the pocket of filling upward toward the peak of the triangle. Set the pocket of filling against the nail of your pinky finger and wrap the two corners around your finger. Press tightly to seal. Toss with flour, set aside on well-floured baking sheet, and cover. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.

Cooking the tortellini:  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a 1-2 Tbsp. of sea salt. Lower the tortellini into the water a few at a time with a slotted spoon. Stir the pot occasionally to prevent the tortellini from sticking to the pot or each other. Cook until all the tortellini have bobbed to the surface of the water, about 4-5 minutes. Taste one to check for doneness.

Freezing the tortellini:  If not cooking the tortellini immediately, freeze them on a sheet pan and transfer to a freezer-safe container once solid. Tortellini will keep for about 3 months. Cook directly from the freezer, but increase the cooking time by a 1-2 minutes.

Makes 1 lb of pasta dough, or 4 servings.

Cook's Notes: Tortellini Filling Options: Tortellini can be filled with anything from plain ricotta cheese to cooked sausage. There are no rules here! If you're experimenting with making tortellini without a recipe, start with 2 cups (20 oz) ricotta as your base and add other cheese, cooked meats, herbs, or seasonings to taste. If including meat, cook the meat before filling the tortellini.