Tortelli Filled with Potato, Mint & Pecorino, Served with Fava Beans and Cherry Tomatoes

Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Scrub the potatoes thoroughly, then place them into the boiling water. Cook until tender all the way through. Drain the potatoes and let them cool just enough to handle, then peel off the skins. Press the peeled potatoes through a vegetable mill or mash thoroughly with a potato masher into a medium mixing bowl. Allow the mashed potatoes to cool completely. Meanwhile, finely grate the Pecorino cheese and finely chop the fresh mint leaves, keeping each component separate for now.

After the potatoes have cooled, add in the grated Pecorino and minced mint. Combine everything until the filling is homogenous and well mixed.

Tip about mint: For optimal flavor, always choose fresh mint. If unavailable, substitute carefully with dried mint according to your taste preference.

In a medium bowl, combine the semola flour with the eggs. Knead the mixture until it forms a smooth, soft dough that holds its shape when shaped into a ball. Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and continue kneading with the palm of your hand until it becomes elastic, supple, and compact. Shape the dough into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap to retain moisture, and let it rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.

After resting, remove the plastic wrap and shape the dough into a rectangle, matching the width of your pasta machine. Begin rolling out the dough using your pasta machine, dusting it generously with semola to prevent sticking. Gradually adjust the thickness settings on the machine, passing the dough through repeatedly until you achieve the desired thinness.

Generously dust your work surface with semola. Lay out the pasta sheet and use a round cutter to stamp out as many circles as possible. With a pastry brush, lightly moisten each circle with water. Place a small teaspoon of the potato-mint filling just off-center on each round. Fold the dough over to cover the filling completely, pressing gently to push out air and seal the edges firmly. Then, bring the corners together to form the classic tortello shape.

Sprinkle a tray with semola flour and arrange the finished tortelli on top to prevent sticking while you prepare the rest.

Carefully shell the fava beans, discarding the pods and keeping only the tender inner beans. Rinse and dry the cherry tomatoes, then quarter each one. In a medium sauté pan, warm a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Once hot, add a whole garlic clove and sauté briefly to infuse the oil. Lower the heat, then add the cleaned fava beans and stir to combine. Toss in the tomato quarters, allowing everything to mingle and soften. Remove the garlic clove and season with salt to taste.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortelli and cook until they float to the surface and are fully cooked through. Drain carefully and transfer the tortelli into the pan with the fava bean and tomato sauce, tossing gently to coat each piece in the flavorful mixture.

Serve immediately, arranging the tortelli onto individual plates and finishing each portion with generous shavings of aged Pecorino cheese.

Pecorino tip: For best results, opt for well-aged Pecorino both for the filling and for garnishing the finished dish.

Fava bean tip: Select fresh fava beans when available—if not, thawed frozen beans can be used as a convenient alternative.