Tortelloni Alla Panna Recipe

Boil water

Bring 4 liters of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon of salt.

When water is boiling, add 500 g fresh tortelloni in a single layer. Stir gently immediately so they don't stick together.

Cook according to package or until al dente (typically 2–4 minutes for fresh tortelloni). Test one to check texture.

Reserve 150 ml of the pasta cooking water, then drain the tortelloni using a spider or colander. Do not rinse.

While the pasta water is heating, prepare the sauce. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Add 120 g diced smoked bacon to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon fat renders and the pieces are crisp around the edges, about 5–6 minutes.

Add the finely chopped medium onion to the pan with the bacon. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned.

Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and 200 g sliced mushrooms. Cook for 4–5 minutes until the mushrooms give up moisture and begin to brown.

Push the bacon, onion and mushrooms to one side of the pan. Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste to the hot pan surface and let it cook for 30 seconds to develop flavor, then stir it through the vegetables.

Pour in 60 ml dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Allow the wine to reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and stir in 250 ml heavy cream. Gently simmer the sauce for 3–4 minutes until it thickens slightly. Do not boil vigorously.

Stir in 50 g grated Parmesan cheese until melted and integrated; this will thicken and enrich the sauce. Season with 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste. If the sauce seems too thick, add up to 100 ml reserved pasta water a little at a time to reach desired consistency.

Taste and adjust seasoning, then stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley off the heat.

Add the drained tortelloni directly to the sauce pan. Gently toss or fold with a wide spoon to coat the pasta pockets without breaking them. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water (1–3 tbsp at a time) to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the tortelloni.

Warm everything together over low heat for 1 minute so the tortelloni finish cooking and absorb some sauce flavor. Do not over-stir.

Divide between 4 warmed plates (servings). Finish each portion with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional), an extra sprinkle of 30 g grated Parmesan, and a little more chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper.