Ok, the above are the bevr' in vin: a few anolini served with meat stock and a couple of tablespoons of Lambrusco wine.
Anyhow, that's how granny made the filling. She started out with about three cups of finely grated bread. Do not use commercial breadcrums, use some good quality not too crusty (no Tuscan bread!) bread, left to go stale and dry for a few days. Grate it with your Parmigiano Reggiano grater so that it turns into a sandy texture. You will need about three cups of this. Weight it and use the same weight (NOT volume!) of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Place the bread in a bowl with a handful of cheese and about 50 grams of butter. pour a little boiling water or meat stock on the bread, soaking it up but not letting it go too soft. Stir and add more water if needed: the melting butter will also help soaking up the bread a bit more. While you wait for the bread mixture to cool down, bring out about 200 grams total of prosciutto di Parma (no, not just raw prosciutto: use prosciutto di Parma, with brand and all!), preferably from near the bone, lean and fat, and mortadella di Bologna. Mince them very finely, they should turn into a pulp! Add them to the now cool bread, add the rest of the cheese and an egg too, plus a hint of white pepper and nutmeg. Knead the mixture until perfectly blended and refrigerate overnight before using. This filling, particularly mild, is better in anolini, which have less pasta and more filling than the traditional cappelletti or tortellini. Serve exclusively with superior quality stock.
Vegetarians and khosher eaters can skip the cured meats and cook the anolini in vegetable stock.
