Ingredients

makes enough filling for about 50 tortelli

　　3 pounds Swiss chard

　　1 large egg

　　Kosher salt to taste

　　8 ounces fresh ricotta, drained

　　1 cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

　　

Step 1

Cut off the stems at the base of each chard leaf. If the central rib of the leaf is thick and tough, cut it out. (Save the trimmings for stock.) Pile up the trimmed leaves, and slice them crosswise into narrow ribbons, about 1/2 inch wide. You will have almost 6 quarts of loose chard shreds.

　　

Step 2

Bring 5 or 6 quarts of water to boil in a big pot. When boiling, heap all the the chard into the pot, and stir, gradually submerging the strips. Return the water to the boil, and adjust the heat to keep it gently bubbling. Simmer the chard until tender, about 10 minutes. Pour the strips into a colander to drain and cool off , then squeeze them by handfuls, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Loosen the clumps, and pile the chard in a large bowl.

　　

Step 3

When the chard is completely cool, beat the egg with a pinch of salt, pour it over, and toss with the chard shreds. Scatter the drained ricotta, the grated cheese, and grated nutmeg on top, and toss and stir until the filling is thoroughly blended. Follow the instructions in the master recipe to make tortelli (page 150), substituting the cooled chard filling for the cabbage filling.

　　Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2009 Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Lidia Mattichio Bastianich is the author of four previous books, three of them accompanied by nationally syndicated public television series. She is the owner of the New York City restaurant Felidia (among others), and she lectures on and demonstrates Italian cooking throughout the country. She lives on Long Island, New York.Tanya Bastianich Manuali, Lidia’s daughter, received her Ph.D. in Renaissance history from Oxford University. Since 1996 she has led food/wine/art tours. She lives with her husband and children on Long Island.