Asparagus tortelloni by Lorenzo Manosperti

Start by making the fresh pasta: place the flour on a work surface, form a well and add the eggs in the centre. Beat the eggs with a fork, gradually incorporating all the flour.

Cut the dough with a scraper, then start kneading. Knead until you obtain a smooth and elastic dough. Wrap it in cling film and leave it to rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Remove the toughest part of the asparagus stalks and slice the rest into rounds, keeping the tips aside.

Sauté the rounds in a pan with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. After 6–7 minutes of cooking, blend them with the ricotta and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and, if you like, a pinch of nutmeg. Keep the filling in the fridge until ready to use.

Roll out the dough into a thin sheet with a rolling pin or a pasta machine. Cut squares of about 6–7 cm per side, place a small spoonful of filling in the centre and fold into tortelloni (first into a triangle, then bring the two tips together). Leave them to rest on a floured tea towel.

For the fondue, heat the cream in a small saucepan, add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and stir over a low heat until you obtain a smooth cream. If you prefer a thinner consistency, you can loosen it with a spoonful of the pasta cooking water.

Blanch the asparagus tips in salted water for 1 minute, then sauté them in a pan with a knob of butter until crisp.

Cook the tortelloni in salted water for 3–4 minutes, drain them gently and serve on the hot fondue. Finish with the crisp asparagus tips and a sprinkling of grated Parmigiano Reggiano.