Celebrate National Tortellini Day Every February 13

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This day is devoted entirely to the deliciousness of stuffed pasta. But not just any stuffed pasta. No, it’s all about tortellini. That’s right, it’s National Tortellini Day!

And why not? There’s not much better than a big bowl of stuffed pasta.

In soup. With a cream sauce. Coated with brown butter and sage. In a pasta salad. However you love it, it’s delicious!

We don’t know who started this day, but we’re deliriously happy to celebrate it.

Now, tortellini are slightly different from tortelloni. What’s the difference? The size. Tortellini are little bite-size pockets of goodness. Tortelloni are bigger. But no less delicious.

 

Tortellini’s Shape Inspired By a Navel?

There are a number of different stuffed pastas besides tortellini, including ravioli and tortellacci. So who came up with the little belly-button shaped creations we call tortellini?

Well, there are a few different versions of how they came to be.

One boring version (and probably closest to accurate) is that Italian mothers figured out that closing the tortellini into the rounded shape helped keep the filling from leaking into the broth during cooking.

A more creative legend has an innkeeper in Bologna peeking through the keyhole at a female guest. He could only see her navel in the dim light, but it inspired him to rush to the kitchen to immortalize the sight in pasta. Depending on the version of the story, the guest was either the femme fatale Lucrezia Borgia or the goddess Venus.

Yes, the peeping legend is a bit creepy, but that shouldn’t stop you from eating tortellini. They’re just too good.

And the belly-button legend may have something to do with tortellini’s other name, “umbellico.” Or maybe that name inspired the legend?

 

Tortellini Even Has Its Own Organization

Have you ever hear of the Learned Order of the Tortellini?

Neither had we. But apparently it exists, and its members are dedicated to preserving the traditional tortellini.

And a true tortellini filling must include prosciutto, mortadella and Parmigiano-Reggiano, most Italians will agree.

But back to the Order. It’s headquartered in Bologna (of course). And members supposedly wear tortellini-shaped red and gold hats at their meetings. They also wear gold tortellini-shaped charms on ribbons around their necks.

Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this scrumptious unofficial holiday.

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Celebrating National Tortellini Day

Clearly you’re going to have to eat some tortellini. There’s just no other proper way to celebrate.

Visit your favorite Italian restaurant and order a tortellini dish. Have your favorite or try something new.

But why not make your own? Use fresh or frozen tortellini and top them with your favorite sauce.

If you’re feeling even more ambitious, make the tortellini from scratch too.

Here are a few recipes (most use store-bought tortellini) you might like to try:

• Apple Tortellini Salad. A refreshing take on pasta salad.
• Tortellini Salad. This one uses arugula for a peppery bite.
• Tortellini & Zucchini Soup. A filling soup.
• Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup. Tomato soup with tortellini? Yes, please!
• Baked Tortellini. A cheesy bowl of comfort.
• Tortellini With Roasted Garlic Sauce. An appetizer with a simple but delicious dipping sauce.

 

If you want to try your hand at making the tortellini from scratch, try:

• Tortellini recipe by Alton Brown
• How to make Tortellini from scratch: A five-step process with pictures on Instructables.

 

Here’s a video so you can see how they come together:

 

Now go enjoy some tortellini!

 

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