There are several variations of this fresh egg-made pasta. Tortelloni is a slightly larger version of Tortellini and Cappellacci pasta and is folded from differently cut pasta sheets. The different shapes are born from the gastronomic wars between the “hill lands” and the “seaside” of Emilia-Romagna in Italy. That is why they call Emiliani the people of the hillside and Romagnoli the people of the seaside. There is much folklore surrounding the origin of the shape of Tortellini pastas and to this day the size, shape, fillings, sauces and even broths that it is served in vary vastly.

Handmade Tortelloni by La Bussola Restaurant

One romantic legend reveals that Venus, the goddess of love, once stayed at the local tavern in the town of Castelfranco Emilia, halfway between the gastronomic cities of Bologna and Modena. The innkeeper spied on his guest through the keyhole of her room, and got a partial glimpse of her. Struck by what he saw, he rushed to his kitchen, rolled out a sheet of fresh egg pasta and invented a shape inspired by Venus’ navel.

Handmade Tortelloni by La Bussola Restaurant

La Bussola’s excellent larger shaped Tortelloni pasta is handmade. The traditional pasta sheets are made with semolina, white flour and eggs, but the filling has an unexpected Caribbean inspired twist. It is made with braised Antiguan lobster tails with extra virgin olive oil and the sauce is a light Bolognese of shrimp, seasoned with garlic, extra virgin olive oil, fresh tomatoes and Italian flat parsley.

Handmade Tortelloni by La Bussola Restaurant

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:Drawn Butter

1 cup butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 seasoning peppers, roughly chopped

Ingredients: Seafood

1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 crayfish
4 large scallops
4 (2 inch) cubes of filleted red snapper
½ cup plantain chips, crushed
4 lobster medallions
1 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
4 large shrimp (deveined)
2 tbsp mango coulis
2 tbsp pineapple coulis
4 dried lemon slices
Few sprigs of fresh herbs
Salt & pepper to taste

GARNISH

20 smooth river pebbles

METHOD for River Pebbles:

In a saucepan boil river pebbles in water for 10 minutes. Turn off heat
and leave pebbles sitting in hot water until service.

METHOD for Drawn Butter:

Place the butter, garlic, seasoning pepper in a small saucepan and bring
to just boiling point over medium high heat. Remove from heat and let the butter settle, undisturbed. The milk solids will come to the top of the butter and the watery whey will collect on the bottom. Skim off the milk solids with a spoon and pour into a serving bowl taking care not to include the watery liquid in the bottom of the pan. Reserve.

METHOD for Seafood:

Season all seafood with salt and pepper. In a small frying pan heat oil over a medium-high heat, quickly sear the crayfish, scallops and snapper cubes.Crush the plantain chips and coat the lobster medallions on one side with chips. Coat shrimp in coconut flakes. Sear lobster and shrimp in hot oil. Drizzle the reserved drawn butter over seafood.

ASSEMBLY:

Remove pebbles with tongs from saucepan and arrange 5 on each serving plate. Drizzle plates with mango and pineapple coulis. Balance one piece of seafood on each of the pebbles. Garnish with dried lemon slices, and sprigs of fresh herbs. Last but not least, enjoy! P.S. Please don’t eat the pebbles!

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