Verified in 2 cities.
Tortellini in brodo is a signature dish of Italy; we have verified places to eat it in Bologna and Modena.
Tortellini in brodo is Bologna's Christmas-and-Sunday pasta: tiny egg-yolk parcels stuffed with mortadella, prosciutto di Parma, pork loin and Parmigiano Reggiano, served floating in a clear capon and beef brodo.
The tortellino reached its modern form in the 16th-century kitchens of the Emilian nobility, with Bologna and Modena both claiming origin. The legend places it at a Castelfranco Emilia tavern, where an innkeeper modelled the pasta on a noblewoman's navel. The Confraternita del Tortellino deposited the legal recipe with the Camera di Commercio of Bologna on 7 December 1974: pork loin, prosciutto di Parma, mortadella, Parmigiano Reggiano, egg and nutmeg, hand-folded into 5g parcels and served only in capon brodo. Trattoria Anna Maria, Diana and Tamburini serve the canonical version.
Where to eat in Bologna:
Where to eat Tortellini in brodo in Bologna: the editor picks
Tortellini in brodo are small rings of egg pasta filled with pork loin, prosciutto, mortadella, Parmigiano, egg and nutmeg, served in capon broth; Modena and Bologna both claim them.
Bologna and Modena both claim the tortellino. Bartolomeo Scappi recorded tortelletti in 1570, and Vincenzo Tanara's 17th-century writing may have fixed the name. The best-known legend is set in Castelfranco Emilia, between the two cities, where an innkeeper spying on Venus through a keyhole saw only her navel and shaped the pasta after it. Castelfranco Emilia still honours the legend with a ten-day tortellino sagra every September, serving them in capon broth.
Where to eat in Modena:
Where to eat Tortellini in brodo in Modena: the editor picks
Guided tour · 2h 30m
Learn all about the symbol of Bologna: a guided walk through the historic old town, a tasting of traditional tortellini, and a workshop to create your own tortellini t...
4 hours
Discover the secrets of tagliatelle, ragu and tortellini in Lucia's kitchen, amid traditional techniques, conviviality and authentic Bolognese flavors.
Guided tour · 2h 30m
Dive into Bologna's soul: explore medieval markets, taste Mortadella & Parmigiano, watch a master "sfoglina" at work in a Sfoglia Show, and fold your own Tortellini be...
