How to make chestnut tortellini in mushroom and Marmite broth

Give the meat a break with this light and sophisticated tortellini dished

Love it or hate it: there is no middle ground with this delightfully light dish

Chestnut tortellini in mushroom and Marmite broth

Serves 6 as a starter

Pasta dough
Polenta, for dusting

Mushroom and Marmite broth
A little extra virgin olive oil
2 handfuls of fresh seasonal mushrooms and a handful of wild garlic, sauteed, to garnish

Chestnut pasta

150g chestnut flour mixed with a pinch of salt
​150g “00” pasta flour
10 large egg yolks

Chestnut and mascarpone filling

1 banana shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
​200g tinned sweet chestnuts, chopped
​200g mascarpone cheese, plus extra to garnish
2 tbsp chopped chives
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the chestnut and mascarpone filling, sweat the banana shallot in the olive oil until translucent. Add the rosemary and cook for a few more minutes, then add the chestnuts. Season the mixture well and leave to cool. Once cold, fold in the mascarpone and chives and set aside.

Roll out the pasta on the thinnest setting of the machine and cut out about 60 circles, about 8cm in diameter. Put a teaspoon of the filling in the centre and fold up the bottom half of the pasta to make a semi-circle.

Pinch the two sides together underneath the filling to make something that resembles a little hat. Transfer the shaped tortellini to a tray dusted with polenta.

Reheat the mushroom and Marmite broth if chilled. Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and toss in a bit of olive oil. Put the tortellini in a bowl, garnish with some sautéed seasonal mushrooms and wild garlic and serve with the hot mushroom and Marmite broth. Garnish with drops of mascarpone.

‘The Skills: How to become an expert chef in your own kitchen’ by Monica Galetti (Quadrille, £20) Photography © Cristian Barnett