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| Type | Pasta |
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| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | |
Cappelletti (Italian:[kappelˈletti]) are ring-shapedstuffed pasta; they are named for the characteristic shape that resembles a hat (cappello inItalian). Compared totortellini, they have a different shape, larger size, thicker dough and different filling.
The origins of the recipe, very widespread on a territorial basis, are ancient, traditionally and historically linked toEmilia-Romagna[1] andMarche.[2] From these areas it then spread over the centuries, becoming a typical dish in various cities. Some recent sources specifically indicate the area in theCesena–Ferrara–Reggio Emilia triangle as the place of origin,[1][3] others reportMarche as a land where cappelletti are of ancient tradition.[2]
A first reference to this culinary preparation could perhaps be found linked toFerrara, in a text dating back to 1556 byCristoforo di Messisbugo, former cook of the Este court withAlfonso I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, at the beginning of the 16th century.[4] The traditional recipe for cappelletti includes, among the ingredients of the filling (batù) chicken, pork, veal or beef (as well as bacon andcotechino), Parmesan, eggs and nutmeg. For the puff pastry there are no particular differences compared to the one prepared for all the other types offilled pasta.[5] In the Ferrara area we distinguish thecaplìt, filled with meat and cheeses, to be consumed in broth, and the largercaplàz, with a pumpkin-based filling, to be eaten dry with meat sauce (ragù) or butter and sage.[5]
Cappelletti are also traditional in Reggio nell’Emilia and Parma, especially during the Christmas holidays. The Reggiano type is shaped like a small hat or similar to a ring (different from theanolini or cappelletti fromParma, with a similar filling).[6]
Cappelletti are the dish of choice for large parties inRomagna. TheCucinario of an ancient noble family of Lugo, written by Count Giovanni Manzoni, mentions seven different recipes. Calledcaplét in Romagna, they follow slightly different recipes in the filling generally based on cheese andricotta, spiced with nutmeg and grated lemon zest, in some cases with the addition ofcapon breast, or other meat. InFaenza they have a filling (e 'pin o e' batù) of soft cheeses, Parmesan, nutmeg and without any type of meat and are consumed exclusively in chicken broth. In theImola area, however, the filling is based on meat.[7] The dough is cut into squares of about 5 cm per side; in each of them a spoonful of stuffing is inserted. They are enjoyed in meat broth. It is a good idea not to remove them immediately from the pot: they should be left to soak for a few minutes so that they absorb the broth well.
Pellegrino Artusi, a native ofForlimpopoli, in hisScience in the kitchen and the art of eating well, reports recipe no. 7: Romagna-style cappelletti, with ricotta-based filling (or ricotta andraviggiolo), capon breast or pork loin, to be cooked in capon broth.[8]
InMarche[9] andUmbria,[10] cappelletti are considered a typical traditional pasta. Whiletortellini in some areas of Marche came only after the war, cappelletti have always been homemade throughout the region, especially in the northern area, linguistically and culturally closer to Romagna. In Marche recipes, the filling is based on stewed meats including the "smells" of celery, carrot and a little onion, passed through a meat grinder, to which raw eggs, grated aged cheese, nutmeg and grated lemon zest are sometimes added.[11] Some annual celebrations, such as large Christmas lunches, include cappelletti in broth as a traditional first course.
In Umbria, cappelletti in capon broth[12] are also considered the typical dish on New Year's Day. Unlike Romagna, where the filling is made with cheeses, the Umbrian recipe also includes mixed meat: veal, turkey or chicken and pork loin.
Dry cappelletti, with meat sauce or other sauce, are a recent creation.
Media related toCappelletti at Wikimedia Commons
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