pink, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. With a slotted
spoon, transfer the meat to the sauce; add the rosemary, sage, bay
leaves, and Parmesan rind, if using. Simmer uncovered for 1½ to 2
hours on low heat, adjusting for salt and pepper, until the sauce is
nicely unified and tastes intense and rich.
To make the tortellini, follow these instructions, but substitute
a filling by combining in a bowl the pork, prosciutto, mortadella,
Parmesan, egg, and nutmeg. To test the flavoring, make a small
meatball and fry it in a pan to cook the raw pork. Taste it and
adjust the filling accordingly.
Shape the tortellini according to the instructions and toss them
on a cookie sheet with flour until ready to use*.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season well with salt. Drop
the tortellini into the pot of boiling water and cook until they are
just about cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the cream to the hot sauce, remove the bay
leaf, and adjust for salt and pepper. If you have more ragù than
you think you’ll need to sauce the pasta, set some aside for
another time*.
Use a spider to lift the tortellini into the pan with the ragù.
Toss on low heat, allowing the tortellini to suck up some of the
sauce. Spoon into hot bowls and sprinkle more Parmesan on top.
* If your butcher won’t grind these, you can—like the mortadella
—grind them in a food processor.