The Delicious Stuffed Pasta Once Reserved For Italy's Elite

Many of today's favorite foods have always been a part of our diets — some have slightly weird origins (like pastry, which wasn't originally for eating), while others have more regal, aristocratic histories. Such is the case with cappelletti, a delicious stuffed pasta that was once reserved for the gentry of Italian society.

While there may be some debate behind the invention of Italian pasta, cappelletti pasta, which is considered a dumpling, is from the Italian Province of Reggio Emilia, located in the Emilia-Romagna Region. Today, it can be found throughout Northern Italy, particularly in provinces like Ravenna and Cesena, but once upon a time you had to be high class to have access to it. In fact, it was described as a dish enjoyed by noble families when a recipe for this fancy pasta first appeared in cookbooks in the 15th century. 

Cappelletti isn't just delicious to eat; the name itself is fun to say and even has an adorable meaning. Cappelletti is Italian for "little hats," and the shape is true to its name. Round and fluffy in the middle, these little stuffed pastas have a wide brim around the outside that rises up around the pillowy center, which is why some people liken them to the hats of 17th century Spanish soldiers or the ceremonial hat worn by a bishop. Cappelletti dates back to the Middle Ages, and was typically reserved for special occasions, like holidays and festive celebrations.

Cappelletti is often confused with its stuffed cousin, tortellini, and that mistake is understandable. Both types of pasta are similar in size and equally delicious. But cappelletti differs in its shape — it features a round pillowy hat shape instead of the ring shape tortellini is known for — and the way it is typically served. Cappelletti was traditionally stuffed with ricotta and served in a delicate broth (cappelletti in brodo) to be served for a Christmas Eve meal. Tortellini, on the other hand, is traditionally stuffed with meat and served with sauce, although it also does a fantastic job as a pasta that bulks up your soups. Today, cappelletti is served with different fillings and various sauces instead of just the traditional broth preparation, but the two pastas still remain different.

Stuffing pasta with delicious fillings is not unique to cappelletti or tortellini. There are plenty of choices out there, like ravioli, mezzelune, tortelloni, agnolotti, and more. They are little pillowy bites of pasta goodness, filled with anything and everything you can imagine, like cheese, meat, seafood, and vegetable, and any creative combination of those you can dream up. When it comes to cappelletti, add a pinch of nutmeg and a dash of salt and pepper, and cook the pasta in a delicate chicken or beef broth to recreate the dish Italian nobles once enjoyed. You also have the freedom to express your culinary creativity and make cappelletti your own.