Spinach and Ricotta Tortellini in Sage Butter with Pine Nuts

Mound the tipo 00 flour onto a clean, dry work surface and use your fingers to carve a wide, deep well in the center, ensuring the flour walls are sturdy enough to contain the liquids.

Add the 3 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk, olive oil, and 2 g of fine sea salt into the center well.

Beat the eggs, oil, and salt with a fork, gradually pulling in flour from the inner perimeter of the well until a thick, shaggy dough mass forms and wet liquid no longer runs free.

Bring the dough together with your hands and knead vigorously on an unfloured board for 10 minutes, pushing forward with the heels of your hands and folding back, until the surface turns smooth, silky, and elastic.

Wrap the kneaded dough tightly in plastic wrap to prevent surface evaporation, and let it rest at room temperature (20°C to 22°C / 68°F to 72°F) for 30 minutes to relax the gluten network.

Place the baby spinach into a dry skillet over medium heat at 160°C (320°F) and cook for 2 minutes, tossing frequently, until leaves completely wilt and collapse.

Transfer the wilted spinach to a colander to cool slightly, transfer into the center of a clean kitchen towel, gather the corners, and squeeze repeatedly with firm pressure until no further moisture drips through.

Place the squeezed spinach on a cutting board and mince finely using a chef's knife into uniform, minuscule fragments.

In a mixing bowl, combine the minced spinach, strained ricotta, 45 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano, ground nutmeg, 3 g fine sea salt, and 1 g black pepper, stirring with a fork until homogenous, then spoon the mixture into a piping bag.

Cut the rested pasta dough into 4 equal quarters, keep 3 quarters wrapped under plastic wrap, flatten the active quarter, and pass it through a pasta machine from the widest setting down to setting 7 (approx 1 mm thickness), dusting lightly with flour if sticky.

Lay the pasta sheet flat on a wooden board and stamp out rounds using a 6.5 cm round pasta cutter, reserving dough scraps under plastic wrap for rerolling.

Pipe a 4 g to 5 g mound (about 1 rounded teaspoon) of spinach-ricotta filling into the direct center of each pasta circle.

Fold each circle in half over the filling to create a half-moon, pressing the edges firmly from the center outward to evacuate trapped air and seal the perimeter, then wrap the two base tips around the tip of your index finger, overlap them, and press firmly together to lock the tortellini crown.

Transfer the finished tortellini in a single, non-touching layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and repeat the rolling, cutting, and shaping process with the remaining dough portions.

Add the pine nuts to a dry light-colored skillet placed over medium-low heat at 150°C (300°F) and toast for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan continuously, until golden brown and intensely nutty, then immediately tip into a small bowl to halt cooking.

Fill a large stockpot with 4 liters of water, bring to a vigorous rolling boil over high heat at 100°C (212°F), and season generously with coarse salt until it tastes pleasantly seasoned.

Place the light-colored skillet over medium heat at 155°C (311°F), melt the cubed unsalted butter, and add the fresh sage leaves as foaming begins, swirling continuously for 3 to 4 minutes until the milk solids turn hazelnut-brown, the butter smells nutty, and sage leaves turn crisp.

Carefully drop the fresh tortellini into the boiling water, stir gently once with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking, and boil for 2 to 3 minutes until all parcels bob to the surface and the pasta edges taste tender yet firm to the bite.

Lift the cooked tortellini using a spider strainer and transfer directly into the brown butter skillet over low heat, add 30 ml of hot pasta water, and swirl the skillet vigorously for 1 minute to emulsify the butter into a glossy sauce that coats each piece.

Divide the tortellini and pan sauce evenly among four warm shallow bowls, scatter the toasted pine nuts and crisp sage leaves across the top, finish with the remaining 30 g of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and serve immediately.