Cheese Tortellini

These are great with just a little parmesan cheese over them, with some marinara sauce, with spaghetti sauce on it, or in a soup.  You can freeze this, by laying them single layer on a cookie sheet and placing them in the freezer for a couple hours.   Once frozen, remove and place in a large zip-loc bag.  Remove air and seal.  Place in freezer until ready to use.

CHEESE TORTELLINI 

(makes about 120-140)

Pasta Ingredients:

*4  cup all-purpose flour

*4-5 large eggs

*1 teaspoon salt

*1 tablespoon olive oil

Filling Ingredients:

*16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese

*1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

*1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

*1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

*1/2 teaspoon salt

*1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

*pinch of nutmeg (I grate my own, but dried will work too)

*1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

~In a large bowl or on a clean counter mix salt and flour together.

~Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.

~Crack eggs into center and drizzle olive oil in it (start with 4 eggs.  Only add the last egg if it's to dry).

~Mix eggs and olive oil into flour with your fingers or paddle if using mixer.

~Mix until dough comes together.

~Knead until dough is smooth.

~Wrap dough in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

~Cut dough into quarters.

~Take out one section of the dough and cover the remaining three with the plastic wrap.

~Press dough out into a rectangle with your hands.

~Run through pasta machine starting at 1 and ending at 5 or 6 (you want the dough thin, but not so thin that it rips when folding it).   You can roll the dough out by hand if you don't have a pasta maker.

~Put some water into a small container.

~Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles and lay them on a floured surface.

~Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon in  to circle.

~Dip your fingers into the water and rub the water on half of the outer edge of circle.

~Fold the dough over the filling to meet the other side of the dough, press to seal.

~Take the two corners and fold them to meet each other, stick them together using a dab of water on one side.

Cooking Tortellini:

~Place in boiling water.

~When the tortellini's float to the top of the water, they are done (this only takes a few minutes).