Three-cheese Tortellini Recipe

Prepare filling

In a medium bowl combine 1 cup whole-milk ricotta, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir until smooth and homogenous; chill briefly (10–15 minutes) if mixture seems loose. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Assemble tortellini (if making fresh)

If you are making your own tortellini: roll out pasta dough to about 1/16-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch rounds or squares. Place about 1/2 teaspoon to 3/4 teaspoon of filling in the center of each piece, brush edge with water, fold into a half-moon, press to seal, then bring ends together and press to form tortellini. Set filled tortellini on a lightly floured tray. If using store-bought refrigerated tortellini, skip assembly and proceed.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Start heating a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for the sauce.

Sauté aromatics

Add 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the hot skillet. When butter foams, add 1 finely minced shallot and sauté 1–2 minutes until translucent (do not brown). Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Build roux and deglaze

Stir in 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and cook 30–45 seconds to remove raw flour taste. Add 1 tablespoon dry white wine (or chicken broth) to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits and reducing for about 1 minute.

Add liquids

Whisk in 1 cup low-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth until smooth, then add 1 cup heavy cream. Bring sauce to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, and simmer 3–4 minutes to thicken slightly.

Finish with cheese

Remove skillet from heat and gradually whisk in 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano until melted and smooth. Season with freshly ground black pepper (about 1 teaspoon) and salt to taste. Keep sauce warm over the lowest heat; if sauce becomes too thick, whisk in up to 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to loosen.

Cook tortellini

Add 1 pound tortellini to the boiling salted water and cook according to package directions for fresh tortellini (typically 2–4 minutes) or until al dente and they float. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain tortellini using a spider or slotted spoon, leaving them slightly wet (do not fully dry).

Combine pasta and sauce

Transfer drained tortellini into the skillet with the warm Parmesan cream sauce. Toss gently to coat, adding up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to achieve a silky emulsified sauce that clings to the pasta. Cook together over low heat 1–2 minutes to marry flavors; do not boil.

Adjust seasoning and finish

Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley. If desired, sprinkle additional 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over the pasta and gently toss once more.

Serve

Divide pasta among 4 warm bowls. Finish each serving with an extra twist of freshly cracked black pepper and a pinch more chopped parsley. Serve immediately.