Mains

Leek and goat’s cheese tortellini with fennel sauce

Get your mixing fingers ready, these tortellini are well worth the effort.
Leek and goat's cheese tortellini with fennel sauce
Leek and goat's cheese tortellini recipe with fennel sauce
Alicia Taylor
6-8
1H
45M
1H 45M

Tortellini may be time consuming, but these little pasta parcels are worth the effort. Silky, herbed pasta dough is filled with zingy goat’s cheese and sweet leeks and covered in fennel sauce to create a perfectly balanced pasta dish.

Ingredients

Herb pasta
Filling
 Fennel sauce

Method

1

For herb pasta, place ingredients, a pinch of salt and 50ml water in a food processor and process until a dough starts to form. Tip onto a lightly floured work surface; knead dough until smooth. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

2

Meanwhile, for filling, heat butter in a heavy-based frying pan over low heat. Add leek and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until leek has softened (25-30 minutes). Add wine and increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until wine has evaporated (3-5 minutes); cool. Transfer to a bowl with remaining ingredients; season to taste and stir to combine. Mixture should be dry and hold its shape.

3

Divide dough into 4 even pieces. Working with one piece at a time, keeping remaining dough covered, flatten then lightly roll out dough until thin enough to fit through widest setting on pasta machine, dusting with extra flour if sticky. Roll dough through widest setting. Fold dough into thirds then turn 90 degrees. Roll again through widest setting. Repeat twice more or until dough pieces are smooth and even. Continue rolling dough through pasta machine, reducing setting by a notch each time, until each piece is 3mm thick. Dust pasta sheets with flour.

4

Working with one sheet at a time, using an 8cm round cutter, cut out approximately 20 rounds. Spoon approximately 1 tsp of filling into centre of each round. Working with one at a time, brush a half edge with water and fold over the filling to opposite sides creating a half-moon. Press outwards to seal completely, making sure no air is trapped inside. Lightly brush one pointed end with water and bring corners together, pressing to seal. Transfer tortellini to a lined tray dusted with flour. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling. Makes about 80. Refrigerate until required. When ready to serve, cook tortellini, in batches if necessary, in  a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente and cooked through (2 minutes).

5

Working with one sheet at a time, using an 8cm round cutter, cut out approximately 20 rounds. Spoon approximately 1 tsp of filling into centre of each round. Working with one at a time, brush a half edge with water and fold over the filling to opposite sides creating a half-moon. Press outwards to seal completely, making sure no air is trapped inside. Lightly brush one pointed end with water and bring corners together, pressing to seal. Transfer tortellini to a lined tray dusted with flour. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling. Makes about 80. Refrigerate until required. When ready to serve, cook tortellini, in batches if necessary, in  a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente and cooked through (2 minutes).

6

To serve, divide fennel sauce among bowls, and top with tortellini. Scatter with micro basil leaves, and extra crumbled goat’s cheese. Drizzle with oil.

Looking for some more filled pasta recipes?

Related stories