How to Make Gluten Free Tortellini

As with many types of pasta, the true origins of tortellini are shrouded in mystery. Some say that it dates back to the 12th century, when a marquess visited an Inn at the town of Castelfranco Emilia, near Modena. According to the tale, the innkeeper was so taken by the beauty of the marquess that he formed a new pasta shape in the image of her navel and filled it with pieces of meat. Others say that the woman wasn’t a marquess, but the goddess Venus herself. 

Regardless of how exactly tortellini came to be, they’re undoubtedly one of the crowning jewels in the culinary heritage of the Emilia-Romagna region, and are enjoyed all around the world. And tortellini can easily be made gluten free. If you want to bring the smells and tastes of Bologna straight to your kitchen, read on for our simple guide on how to make your own homemade gluten free tortellini. 

Fresh gluten free tortellini recipe 

Serves: 2-3 people

Prep Time: 60 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Calories per 100g: 258 kcal (excludes sauce)

Ingredients

For the gluten free pasta:

• 200g gluten-free flour (rice flour and cornflour are both dependable and readily available) 
• 100ml water or 2 large eggs (use water for pasta bianca or white pasta - a vegan version)
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 tbsp xanthan gum (only if your flour doesn’t already contain it)
• 1tbsp salt

For the filling (meat version): 

• 150g pork loin 
• 80g prosciutto di Parma 
• 80g mortadella 
• 20g butter
• 1 egg 
• 150g Parmigiano Reggiano
• A grating of nutmeg 
• Salt and pepper to season 

For the filling (vegetarian version) 

• 50g ricotta 
• 25g fontina 
• 25g of Parmigiano Reggiano
• A grating of nutmeg 
• A few sage leaves 
• Salt and pepper to season 

Method

To make your gluten free pasta dough, follow the steps below or watch our lovely sfoglina Roberta in our video guide:

• Mix together your gluten-free flour, xanthan gum and salt. You can use a food processor for this if you have one. 
• Make a mound with your flour. Slowly mix in the water or eggs with the extra virgin olive oil with a fork. Keep mixing until you have a rough dough. 
• Roll your dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 15 minutes, until smooth. 
• Once this is done, rest your dough for 15-30 minutes before shaping your tortellini.

For more information on preparing gluten-free pasta, be sure to check out our gluten-free pasta recipe here.

To shape your tortellini

• Once the dough has rested for an hour or so, place it on a floured work surface and begin to roll it flat with a pasta machine or a rolling pin. The pasta sheet should be fairly thin but not about to tear. 
• With a non-serrated pasta cutter, divide the sheet up into squares – aim to have about 4 cms in length. 
• Put a small amount of filling (a little less than a full teaspoon), whether meat or vegetarian, into the centre of each square.
• Now comes the tricky part – how to fold tortellini. Start by taking a square and folding it diagonally to make a triangle, pressing the edges down firmly and squeezing out any trapped air. If the pasta doesn’t stick that well, put a little water on the edges before trying to fold again. Once you have made a triangle shape, take the bottom corners and fold around your index finger so that they meet. Squeeze the corners together so that they bind and again, use a touch of water to help if needed. Repeat until all the pasta and filling is used up.
• Now simply boil your gluten-free tortellini in generously salted water for 3-4 minutes, until al dente. Toss in your favourite compound butter, garnish and serve!

*We advise preparing your filling prior to your pasta, as this enables the mixture to firm up in the refrigerator, making it easier to handle. 

 Looking for an easier means to satisfy your craving for gluten-free tortellini? Why not try one of our gluten-free dishes on our weekly menu? We offer a different gluten-free dish every week. Prepared using the freshest ingredients, our gourmet pasta dishes are perfect for those looking to enjoy restaurant-quality meals, delivered to your door, and ready in under five minutes. Order from our weekly menu today, and we’ll offer you 25% off your first delivery - simply enter the code BLOG25 at checkout.