Veal and Parmesan Tortellonis with Spicy Sage Butter Sauce

Yes, yes, double YES! These little, but not so little, scrumptious morsels will indefinitely get you laid, if not attention. Want to impress your boyfriend/girlfriend? Want to impress you family? Here you go, you can thank me later!

This is the perfect date night meal, where you can both make these tortellonis together. From the basic pasta dough, to the filling, to forming the tortellonis to the simple spicy sage sauce, this will blow your mind on how easy this is to make!

Tortellonis are a larger version of tortellinis which are a stuffed pasta that are shaped like pillow rings. Tortellonis are generally 1 to 2 inches in size. They are a staple of Italian cuisine, and a brother to ravioli. From cheeses to meats to veggies, you can stuff these bad boys with just about anything. The pasta is made by placing the filling in the center of cut out circles and then folding them into tubes to form rings. The center holes of the rings are wound tightly, but can sometimes be small or unnoticeable. The pouch is then sealed with egg wash, frozen, or ready to be boiled and eaten immediately.

I chose to use ground veal in the filling, because it has a milder, lean flavor and low amounts of saturated fat. Its texture is very tender. I paired the veal with onions, garlic, parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley. I only used a few ingredients to compliment the meat, but not to overpower. Parmesan cheese is a distinctively salty, slightly granular cheese that adds flavor and texture to the filling. The parsley adds this beautiful green vibrant color, while the onions adds a hint of sweetness. The garlic plays its usual accompanying role. An Italian restaurant in Chelsea in NYC, Giovanni Ranna Pastificio & Cucina, inspired this dish.

I am also a huge fan of spice, so I paired the tortellonis with a spicy sage butter sauce that can be prepped and prepared in less than 3 minutes. Sage is an herb that has a pungent, mildly astringent, slightly bitter to peppery flavor that accents the mildness of the veal. I used three spices in this sauce including red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and paprika. The red pepper flakes are hot, dried bits of chile peppers that adds heat to the sauce. The cayenne pepper adds a zesty kick.

Paprika is a red spice made from dried bell peppers. It does not necessarily add heat, because bell peppers are sweet. Therefore, it adds sweetness and color. Start by browning the unsalted butter and then add the sage so that its oils can infuse into the hot butter. Finish with the spices and then remove from heat. Simple! The dish sounds a lot fancier than it actually is to produce. Treat yourself and the ones you love!

Learn how to make Fresh basic pasta dough here

Watch the Tortelloni Tutorial here

Purchase biscuit cutters to cut your circles here

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