Bill's Homemade Crab Tortelloni Tuscany

Recipe Junkie's Note:

This is my husband Bill's recipe. He's a wonderful Italian cook who learned how to make Italian food from a Sicilian couple whose restaurant he worked in while in his teens. He made up this particular recipe when his roommate of his bachelor years came home with crab and asked him to do something with it. It takes some time to make by hand, but if you purchase ready-made tortellini, the whole recipe can be prepared in about an hour. All you will need are the sauce ingredients. We hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!

• Total Time: 4 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 4 hrs
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

For Filling

• ½ lb finely grated mozzarella cheese
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 16 ounces cottage cheese
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup finely grated romano cheese
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped olives
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 tablespoon mint
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For Pasta

• 4 2⁄3; cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons dried basil or 2 teaspoons marjoram or 2 teaspoons sage , crushed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 beaten eggs
• 2⁄3; cup water
• 2 teaspoons cooking oil or 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 dozen fennel seed , to add to boiling water
• 1 teaspoon additional olive oil , to add to boiling water

Sauce

• 1 lb crabmeat (imitation is okay)
• ¼ cup minced garlic
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped portabella mushroom
• ½ pint heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1. For Filling:.
2. Put all ingredients in large bowl.
3. Mix it all together until well-mixed.
4. Cover and refrigerate.
5. For Pasta:.
6. Follow the instructions as per Homemade Pasta (From Better Homes and Gardens) (Homemade Pasta From Better Homes and Gardens) and divide the dough into 8 equal sections.
7. Roll each section flat until each is about 16" square. Then cut each section into sixteen 4" squares.
8. Get the filling mixture and place a heaping teaspoon filling into a square. Fold the square over the filling corner to corner.
9. Press the seam to seal the filling inside the pasta (it should look like a fat little triangle). Take the two far ends of the triangle, one in each hand, and giving a half twist to one side, meet and press the two ends together (it should look like a little bishop's hat). Place the tortelloni on a rack to dry. Repeat this process for all squares.
10. In large skillet under low heat saute garlic, onion, portobello mushrooms and spices in the olive oil.
11. Once onions are translucent, add the crabmeat, heavy whipping cream, milk and salt. Bring to a simmer slowly.
12. In large pot, bring water with 1 t olive oil and a dozen or so fennel seeds to a rolling boil.
13. Add tortelloni to the water.
14. Boil them until they all float, stirring occasionally.
15. Meanwhile, using the flour, thicken the sauce to taste (personally I never use more than 1/4 c flour).
16. Place tortelloni on a plate and cover with sauce and sprinkle lightly with paprika (I sometimes will also sprinkle the top lightly with parmesan or mozzarella cheese).