Timbale of Tortellini with Meat Sauce and pasta

Is a spectacular and sumptuous first course, rich in flavor and a true typical specialty of the Emilia Romagna region, known as "Scrigno di Venere". In its traditional version, this dish includes a shortcrust pastry casing and a rich filling of tortellini, a symbol of Emilian cuisine, seasoned with meat sauce, béchamel and Parmigiano Reggiano, iconic ingredients of the region. It is an elaborate preparation that, although it requires a long preparation, conquers at the first taste thanks to the crunchiness of the casing and the softness of the filling. A recipe from the past, perhaps a little forgotten, but which I assure you deserves to be tried at least once in a lifetime. The dish I propose today is a great classic that tells the story of the Emilia Romagna region, using typical ingredients of the area. Its original name, "Casket of Venus", recalls the divine origin of tortellino, an ingredient that, like no other, has stimulated the popular imagination and given rise to many legends and tales. Among the many stories related to tortellino, the one I want to tell you has as its protagonist Venus, an ancient Italic divinity, famous for her extraordinary beauty and for being a symbol of the love that arouses desire in every creature. Legend has it that, during the war between Modena and Bologna, in the period of the "Secchia Rapita" (an episode that really happened in 1325, when the Bolognese, after sacking Modena, were chased by the Modenese to Bologna and brought home a wooden bucket as a trophy), Venus, Bacchus and Mars went to the rescue of the city of Modena. They stopped to rest in an inn, the Corona inn in Castelfranco Emilia. The next morning, the two gods left, leaving the beautiful Venus still asleep. When she woke up, the Goddess presented herself to the innkeeper without veils. Struck by the perfection of her body, and in particular by the impeccable shape of her navel, the man tried to reproduce her in a pasta shape... This is how the first tortellini were born. Now let's see what we need to make our Timbale of Tortellini with Meat Sauce. Ingredients for the pasta 280 grams of white flour 120 ml of cold water 40 ml of extra virgin olive oil 15 ml white vinegar salt Ingredients for the ragù 500 grams of beef 150 grams of pork belly 1 carrot a leg of celery leek red onion 500 ml of peeled tomatoes extra virgin olive oil 50 grams butter 1/2 glass of sweet red wine a glass of milk 50 grams dried mushrooms Ingredients for the béchamel sauce 1 liter of milk 80 ml of Extra Virgin Olive Oil 120 grams of 00 white flour salt nutmeg You will also need 350 grams of tortellini Parmigiano Reggiano Procedure Prepare the pasta by putting 280 g of 00 white flour in the planetary mixer with a pinch of salt and gradually adding the extra virgin olive oil. Knead the dough until smooth, then add 15 ml of white vinegar and continue to work until a smooth and well-blended dough is formed. Let it rest for 30 minutes, covered with an upside-down bowl. In the meantime, wash and peel the vegetables, then dice the carrots, celery, leek and red onion. In a large earthenware pot, heat 50 g of butter with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, then add the vegetables and brown gently. Add the minced pork belly and coarsely minced beef, leaving them to flavor. Pour a glass of sweet red wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Add the peeled tomatoes, mash them with a fork, cover with a lid and let it simmer for about two hours. Towards the end of cooking, add half a glass of milk and (to taste) the dried mushrooms previously soaked and well squeezed. Continue cooking without a lid, until the milk is completely absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. For the béchamel sauce, heat 80 ml of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan. Add 120 g of flour, stirring with a whisk until you get a golden roux. Gradually pour in the hot milk, continuing to stir, until you get a smooth and velvety sauce. Boil the tortellini in plenty of salted water and drain them al dente. Season them with half of the meat sauce and half of the béchamel sauce. Line a 22 cm pan with the pasta matta and distribute half of the seasoned tortellini on the bottom. Add the remaining sauce and béchamel, sprinkle with plenty of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and cover with the remaining tortellini. Complete with another generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. From the leftover crazy dough we make a lid and, with cookie cutters, we create decorations to be applied on the disc of dough, fixing them with beaten egg. Bake in a static oven at 180 ° C for about 45 minutes. If the surface darkens too much during cooking, cover it with a sheet of parchment paper. Our Timbale of Tortellini with Meat Sauce with Pasta is ready to be served.