Capellacci

For 20-30 capellacci, make about one-half batch of Lydia's dough.

Ingredients

ricotta or puréed cottage cheese
parsley
finely grated parmiggiano reggiano
fresh-ground black pepper

Preparation

To make cappellacci (or cappellini both mean "little hats")* roll dough out into uniform strips from which 2½" rounds are cut. You should get 20-30 of these from 2 cups of flour for the dough recipe. Dab the filling on the center, moisten dough all around the edge using a pastry brush, fold over in half, then grasp the corners twisting inward so that the two end points overlap, pinch to seal. Cook as soon as possible or freeze.

* The story goes that Jupiter and Venus stopped at an inn. The innkeeper spied on them as they retired naked to bed. He found Venus so beautiful that he fashioned his pasta to resemble her navel. However, the name of the pasta is for the ecclesiastical miter worn by cardinals.

An excellent sauce for this pasta is the butter-sage sauce.