Fake tortellini, in Italy known as tortellini bugiardi (literally, “lying tortellini”), is a forgotten recipe from peasant cuisine.
They are made with egg and flour dough and are shaped like traditional Bolognese tortellini but without filling.
Tortellini bugiardi do not tell lies, even though this, little lies, is another name used to refer to this type of pasta. In this case, the term lying (bugiardi) indicates that the tortellini betray the expectations as they have no stuff.
This pasta dish harks back to the tradition of peasant cuisine when eggs and flour were available, but there was not enough money to buy ingredients for the filling.
This is also the case with ingannapreti or sorpresine from Romagna.
Fake tortellini and tomato sauce
At home, we called them bugie (little lies). Before they disappeared from the family menu and our table, my grandmother often made them. She tossed fake tortellini with different sauces but always kept them simple.
I remember the summer version, with the tortellini bugiardi glistening with fragrant tomato sauce, while in winter, my grandmother made the sauce creamier and more enveloping, using cream and crumbled sausage.
Also, during the summer, it was a habit in the countryside for some people to make them in broth, which in the past was also prepared at the height of summer. And the bowl of steaming soup was followed by a glorious summer boiled meat dish.
Returning back to the little lies, I had forgotten about this pasta until a few years ago when I found fake tortellini on the menu in a restaurant in Bologna.
The forgotten recipe
I smiled in front of that unexpected surprise. I felt a nostalgia for the memory that was awakened by that dish, which was slipping away from my memory.
Of course, I ordered the tortellini bugiardi with tomato sauce, just like they used to make at home. And here I am on the blog, leaving a tangible record of that memory. On this journey through history, memories, and recipes from the Via Emilia, some famous, others less so, and some almost completely forgotten, I wanted to dedicate a page for them, too.
Little lies require a certain amount of work, just like traditional tortellini. You have to make the dough and then “gently and patiently close one square at a time.” So wrote Tino Babini, local gastronome and historian.
Fake tortellini has a delicious fresh egg pasta flavor, and you can choose your own filling. You can transform this traditional peasant dish into a gourmet meal by choosing a fish, vegetable, or meat sauce, such as my hen ragù, as I shared on the blog.
This recipe ended up among the lost ones. It was forgotten in favor of new flavors and other dishes. How about reviving its history and flavor?
Furthermore, making this pasta is an excellent exercise for those who want to learn how to make Bolognese tortellini. Before attempting the traditional version, I recommend trying the no-stuff version.
Buona cucina, Monica
You can find the recipe for traditional Bolognese tortellini here.
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Fake or lying tortellini
Ingredients
- 200 g of all-purpose or 00 flour
- 2 eggs, about 100-110 g
Instructions
- Place the flour on a cutting board.
- Make a well with your fist in the center of the flour and add the eggs.
- Using a fork, gradually incorporate the flour into the well in a circular motion until large breadcrumbs form.
- From that point, knead the dough on a clean surface until it is smooth, firm, and well combined, which should take approximately 10 minutes.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to several hours. If storing overnight, refrigerate and then bring back to room temperature before use.
- After resting, flatten the ball with the palm of your hands. Roll it out thinly using a rolling pin or pasta machine.
- Using a pasta cutter, cut the pasta sheet into 3 cm squares.
- Form each tortellino by folding each square into triangles, taking one end and pulling it to touch the other end. Now, take the two points at the base of the triangle and twirl them around your index finger, attaching them to the other side of your finger to form a kind of ring.
- Leave to dry for a few minutes or a whole night in a cool place on a pasta dryer.
- Cook in salted boiling water for a few minutes. Season as you want and enjoy!
