Homemade Tortelli Pasta

Instructions

1. To make the pasta, weigh the flour into the bowl of a smallish food processor, add the egg, oil, and salt, then process until the mixture forms a dough or begins to clump together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, knead briefly, adding a little more flour if the dough is at all sticky, then wrap in cling film and leave to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by puréeing the peppers and cream cheese in a food processor or blender until well mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then chill until needed.
3. When you are ready to make the tortelli, unwrap the dough and divide into three equal parts. Keeping two covered with the cling film, roll one piece out thinly on a lightly floured surface until it is roughly 30x15cm. The trick with pasta dough is that you need to stretch it a little as you roll, so hold one end and use the rolling pin to stretch and push away the dough. It will spring back a little, but be patient and keep rolling until it is the size you need, turning and dusting with more flour if it is sticking to the bench at all. The pasta should be thin and nearly see through - it will puff up as it cooks. Repeat with the remaining two pieces.
4. To fill the tortelli, lay one sheet of pasta on the benchtop (or a cutting board if you don’t have a stone benchtop) and prepare a small bowl with water. Spoon small, walnut-sized rounds of filling along one side of the pasta sheet, leaving a gap between each mound of filling and the edge. Dip your finger in the water and wet the edges where the pasta will join, then fold the top half over the filling and press around the edges of each ball of filling to seal, trying not to seal in any air if possible.
5. When the tortelli are firmly sealed, use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut them out, then transfer to a plate. Dust with flour and place in the fridge while you repeat with the remaining pasta. You should end up with 15-16 tortelli, I make 5, 5 and 6 from the pasta sheets. Any leftover filling makes a delicious dip so don’t throw it out!
6. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the sage leaves, cook over medium heat until the butter begins to brown, then turn the heat right down to low and add the walnuts and a couple of grinds of salt and pepper.
7. Meanwhile, heat a large pan of water. When the water is at a rolling boil, season generously with salt, then add the tortelli, stirring very gently to make sure they don’t stick together. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the tortelli are all floating and cooked through.
8. Serve immediately, divided between 4 warmed plates, drizzled with the butter, sage, and walnuts and with plenty of Parmesan on the side. Buon appetito!