Tortellini

Packed, refrigerated or frozen, tortellini and tortelloni (similar but larger and with vegetable stuffing) appear in many locations around the world, especially where there are large Italian communities. Tortellini and tortelloni are made in special industrial lines supplied all over the world by Italian companies such as Arienti & Cattaneo, Ima, Ostoni, Zamboni, etc.; "fresh" packed tortellini usually have 7 weeks of shelf-life.

Similar foods in other cultures include uszka in Poland, the German Maultasche, the Ukrainian Christmas food "vushka" (), Chinese wonton and jiaozi, and Turkish mantı.

Origins

One says that this dish was born in Castelfranco Emilia (province of Modena). One night during a trip, Lucrezia Borgia checked into an inn in the small town. Over the course of the night the host became so captivated by Lucrezia's beauty that he could not resist the urge to peek into her room through the keyhole. The bedroom was only lit by a few candles, and so he could merely see her navel. This pure and innocent vision was enough to send him into an ecstasy that inspired him to create the tortellini that night.

Another separate but similar legend, originating in medieval Italy, tells how Venus and Jupiter arrived at a tavern on the outskirts of Bologna one night, weary from their involvement in a battle between Modena and Bologna. After much food and drink, they shared a room. The innkeeper, captivated by the two, followed them and peeked through the keyhole. All he could see was Venus's navel. Spellbound, he rushed to the kitchen and created tortellini in its image.

Finally the third and most widely believed explanation is that they are based on the shape of a turtle in an effort to replicate the famous architectural features of Modena, where many 17th-century buildings bear the turtle motif.

Comparison to tortelloni

See also

References

External links