The recipe proposed this month smells of autumn. It combines three amazing ingredients drawing inspiration from this fascinating season and the rich tradition of Italian cuisine: home-made pasta, seasonal porcini mushrooms and Asiago cheese. It is rich in flavor and splendid to bring to the table: it will add a touch of class to your menus! Find out how to prepare this recipe to perfection with our Fleet Executive Chef Carlo Persia and challenge yourself with the creation of homemade tortelloni.


Tell us something about you. When and how did your passion for cooking start and how long have you been working with MSC Cruises?
“Ever since I was a child, the kitchen has always had a special place in my heart. I still remember climbing into the kitchen chair to help my mother knead pasta or watching my grandfather prepare his famous sauce. Every moment spent in the kitchen was magical and transported me to a world where ingredients, spices and flavours come together in perfect harmony. I have been working with MSC for six years now and my love for cooking is getting stronger and stronger, continuously boosted by the challenge of making such a large number of guests happy with our dishes every day.”

 

The tortelloni and the ingredients in this recipe are very reminiscent of the Italian culinary tradition. What is the story behind this dish?
“Drawing from my culinary experience, I've blended an array of flavors and a vibrant palette of colors to create a harmonious culinary creation. Each ingredient has been carefully selected to not only capture the essence of the season but also to complement and enhance one another.”

 

In this recipe, pasta, mushrooms, broccoli and the Italian Asiago cheese blend perfectly. What are the secrets to ensure the harmony of these flavors?

“This dish features an array of rich flavours and demands an attentive preparation. Selecting the finest ingredients, such as fresh porcini mushrooms and high-quality cheese, will surely make a difference. Yet, what truly works wonders is the passion you infuse into the preparation: it will craft an exceptional flavour profile for this dish.”

 

This recipe is perfect for the fall season! On which ships is it possible to try it?
“This is a very special culinary creation, which is the crown jewel of many maiden voyages.”

Ingredients for 4 servings

For the Pasta dough
“00” flour                            225 gr
Pinch of white wine
Egg yolks                              8-10
Flour, for dusting
Semolina for dusting

Porcini mushrooms and romanesco broccoli filling
Butter                   60 gr
Fresh, cleaned and sliced porcini mushrooms  340 gr
Olive oil                25ml
Sliced Romanesco broccoli           120 gr
Scallions (spring onions), finely chopped 60g
Salt and white pepper to taste
Vegetable broth               125 ml
Finely chopped parsley                  5 gr
Finely chopped marjoram             5 gr
Grated Parmesan cheese grated                60 gr
Fresh ricotta cheese       60 gr

Asiago fondue
Heavy  cream                     225ml
Asiago cheese, finely grated        120g
Egg yolk                1

Garnish
Broccoli florette                40 gr
Black olives                         40 gr
Flour                      5 gr
Vegetable oil      200 ml


Let’s start preparing the pasta dough. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the egg yolks and the pinch of wine.  Start incorporating some of the flour with your fingertips, then gradually incorporate it all. Start bringing the dough together in a ball, and then knead with the heel of your hand.  If the dough is a little dry, moisten your fingertips with a little water.  Knead for 8 minutes, then place in a plastic wrap (clingfilm) for 1 hour. 

 

Let’s prepare now the filling for the tortelloni. Melt the butter in a frying pan over moderate heat, add only half of the porcini mushrooms and then sauté over a high heat. Remove the mushrooms when they are well browned and tender and then repeat with the remaining mushrooms. Transfer all mushrooms into a bowl and leave to cool and set aside about 24 of the best slices for garnishing. It is very important to NOT clean up the pan! The sauce released by the porcini mushrooms is an essential element for the success of this dish! Add some olive oil and set the pan to moderate heat, then add the Romanesco broccoli and then turn the heating to maximum to quickly cook the broccolis. When they are tender, add the seasoning and the porcini you set aside before. Leave to cool, then blend until smooth and season with salt, pepper, parsley, marjoram and the two types of cheese. Place in a pastry bag and refrigerate until needed.

 

We’re now ready to fill the pasta and make your tortelloni! Remove the pastry bag with the filling from the refrigerator. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until very thin, than cut into 5.5 x 5.5-cm pieces.  Pipe some filling into the center of each piece of pasta, spray or brush a little water between the mounds of filling and then fold the dough in half to form a triangle, pressing the edges to seal. Then, connect the two edges of each pasta triangle with your thumbs to form a tortelli. Make 24 pieces, which will give you some spare in case any of them break.  Set on a baking sheet sprinkled with semolina and refrigerate until you are ready to finish the dish.

It’s now time to prepare the Asiago fondue. Bring the heavy cream to boil in a pan, then add the cheese and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth, then temper the egg yolk with a small amount of the hot cheese mixture. Return the yolk mixture to the blender to finish the sauce, then keep it warm in a bain marie.

Now, let’s prepare the garnishing for our dish.  Cut the broccoli into small florets, dust them with flour and fry them until they are golden brown, then place them on a paper plate to absorb oil. For the olives, add the pitted and crushed olives in a frying pan with hot oil and fry them for a couple of minutes.

It’s finally the time to cook our pasta!  Bring the water to a rapid boil, add the salt and then cook the tortelloni for 4 minutes or until tender. Reserve in the sauté pan with a little butter.

 

Lay some fondue sauce in each plate, then add the tortelloni on top and decorate with broccoli florets, a few slices of mushrooms and black olives.

Serve hot and enjoy!