Category:
Fresh pasta and bakery, biscuit, confectionary and pastry products;

1. Product name:
Tortello di patate

2. Other names:

3. Short product description:
Tortelli di patate are square-shaped ravioli that are soft, yellow-coloured and filled with boiled potatoes and cheese. They have the aroma of fresh pasta and taste like potatoes.

4. Production area:
Provinces of Prato, Firenze (Mugello) and Arezzo (upper Casentino, particularly the municipalities of Stia and Pratovecchio).

5. Production status:
r disappeared r at risk r active

6. Production process:
Flour, salt and egg are mixed on a wooden pastry board. The pasta is rolled with a rolling pin and cut into strips. Each piece is filled with a filling of boiled potatoes and cheese, before another strip of pasta is laid on top. The ravioli are cut and closed by hand and are ready to be boiled.

7. Materials, equipment and premises used for production:
s Wooden pastry board for mixing
s Rolling pin for rolling out the pasta
s Knife or tool for cutting into squares

8. Notes on traditionalism, homogeneity of spread and persistence of production rules over time:
Tortello di patate owes its traditional character to its combination of ingredients and method, which has remained unchanged over time. The use of local potatoes for the filling gives it a softness and taste that is much appreciated by the locals. It’s been made for almost 250 years and eaten as a first course with beef sauces, and accompanied by robust red wines.

9. Production:
In Mugello, there are three pasta shops (San Piero a Sieve, Scarperia and Borgo San Lorenzo) that traditionally prepare tortello di patate, even if production has spread to other municipalities in the province of Firenze. In Casentino, there are two pasta shop that produce tortelli di patate (both in the municipality of Poppi). The entire production quantity is estimated to be a couple of thousands of tonnes a year, with a slight increase registered in requests for the product in recent years. It’s sold to restaurateurs, directly to individuals, to local stores and big distributors. In summer and spring, there are numerous food festivals connected to the tortello di patate.