TORTELLINO

The origin of tortellino is confused between history and legend. The dispute between Modena, Bologna and Castelfranco Emilia has ancient roots with rather blurred contours. If you talk to a person from Modena there is no doubt that the origin is precisely in Modena but in the same way a person from Bologna can say it.

Tortellino was certainly born in Emilia, not to be confused with cappelletto which instead is from Romagna and is larger in size and with different fillings (not only meat but also cheese). The historian Cervellati, in one of his manuscripts, speaks of the "Tortellum at Christmas" on the tables of the Bolognese as early as the 12th century. In fact, historical and literary references appear since the early 1300s, in a recipe in Modenese dialect "torteleti de enula", while in the 15th century the tortellino was even mentioned in a short story by Boccaccio; the “Decameron”.