Pine Nut Miso Tortellini
Dressed in Simple Demi-Glace

Pasta dumplings are a nifty way to incorporate pine nut miso into your dishes. It’s mildly sweet, like nutmeg, and deeply umami, like cheddar. I mixed it with equal parts ricotta for a nice creamy effect. A chopped up wedge of preserved lemon lent a clean, acidic boost.

Demi-glace is traditionally made with equal parts veal stock and Espagnole sauce. My “simple” demi-glace is simply vegetarian; an intense, umami syrup-like reduction made from roasted and braised vegetable stock. This recipe makes enough simple demi-glace for the tortellini at hand. However, feel free to double or triple the recipe. It’s nice to have on hand. 

For the pasta dough:
(Serves 2-3)

• 180g all-purpose flour
• 20g semolina flour
• A pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder

For the tortellini filling:
(Makes enough filling for 15-20 large tortellini)

• 100g pine nut miso
• 100g ricotta
• 15g preserved lemon, diced
• Black pepper, to taste

For the simple demi-glace:
(Yields roughly 1/4 cup)

• 450g white onion, skin and root on, roughly chopped
• 450g carrot, roughly chopped
• 275g celeriac, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, skin on
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
  

To make the pasta dough: Combine the flours and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. Drop two eggs into the well, along with a teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder. Use a fork to first scramble the eggs and spice together. Slowly incorporate the surrounding flour, until the dough forms a shaggy mass. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and proceed to knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes. Form the pasta dough into a sphere and wrap it up in plastic. Let rest for an hour up to 24 hours in the fridge.

To start the simple demi-glace: Preheat an oven to 450F. Meanwhile, season the vegetables with salt, pepper, and olive oil, then place them in a glass baking pan. Roast the vegetables until caramelized, about 20-30 minutes. Pour enough lukewarm water into the pan to fill the pan 3/4 of the way full. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and return to the oven. Lower the temperature to 400F and braise for 20 more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.

Pour the contents of the cooled baking pan through a fine strainer.  Squeeze as much liquid out of the vegetables as you can. Set the vegetables aside for future use. Perhaps blend them with lentils and walnuts to make veggie burgers?

Transfer the strained-off liquid to a saucepan and bring to a bare simmer on a burner set over medium-high heat. gently reduce the liquid by half, or more, until the demi-glace can coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To make the tortellini filling: Combine all of the filling ingredients. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

To assemble the tortellini: Working in halves, roll the pasta dough to the second-thinnest setting on your pasta machine. Dust both sides of the sheet with flour. Use the rim of a glass to cut disks out of the dough sheets. Don’t re-roll scraps. Simply cut them down to noodle size and cook them separately. Working with one tortellini at a time, your finger to dab a drop of water around the circumference of the pasta disk. Place teaspoon of filling in the center and fold the circle together to form a half-moon. Squeeze out any excess air and make sure the dumpling is sealed tight. Again use your finger to dab a drop of water on either corner of the dumpling. Fold one corner over the other and press to seal. Place the tortellini on parchment paper dusted with flour. Repeat with remaining disks and filling. 

 

To cook the tortellini: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a roaring boil. Place the pasta dumplings in the boiling water and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Skim out the cooked tortellini with a sieve and place them onto plates. Pour the simple demi-glace over the tops of the tortellini. Garnish with fresh celery and shavings of parmigiano-reggiano.