Radicchio Tortelloni with Creamy Walnut Sauce

Raddichio filling: Cook onion in butter in a covered medium frying pan until soft and transparent. Trim radicchio, cut in half, remove cores, slice leaves finely. Add to pan and stir until wilting. Add red wine. Cover pan and cook gently for 35–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender. Don’t let radicchio dry out – add a little water to keep moist and steamy. Once tender, remove lid and cook until there is no more liquid. Tilt pan to drain and leave to cool, then pour off remaining liquid.

Soak sultanas in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain, dry with paper towels, chop finely and add to radicchio. Mix in mascarpone, parmesan and salt to taste.

Cut pasta into wide strips then into squares. Put half a teaspoon of stuffing in the centre of each square. Lightly dab water around two edges. Fold square in half diagonally, forming a triangle, and press edges together. Pick up triangle of pasta with your thumb and index finger and curl it around your index finger, with pointed parts facing the tip of your finger. Seal the two ends with a dab of water, forming a ring. Next, gently curl the pointed part over so it points towards your hand.

Put tortelloni on a clean dry cloth liberally dusted with flour (and a little semolina) as they are done. Cook within 3 hours (turn them often to prevent sticking).

For the sauce, cook bacon and shallots in butter in a medium frying pan over gentle heat, until shallots are tender and everything is starting to colour; stir often.

Drop tortelloni into a large saucepan of gently boiling salted water. Immediately lower heat, and cook gently for about 5 minutes; do not boil or the pasta will split.

Reheat sauce and add rosemary and walnuts. Stir in cream. Bubble up, add ¼ cup pasta water, then immediately turn off the heat. Season with salt and a generous grating of nutmeg.

When tortelloni are cooked (test one) scoop out with slotted spoon and transfer to pan of sauce, with any clinging water. If the sauce is thick – it should be like a pouring cream – thin with a little pasta water. Toss gently and serve immediately with extra parmesan. Makes about 90