She dished about her grandmother’s classic recipe on an episode of The Drew Barrymore Show.
Key Takeaways
- Tortellini in Brodo is a nostalgic dish tied to Valerie Bertinelli’s Italian heritage.
- The recipe allows flexibility: Use store-bought tortellini and broth, or make them from scratch.
- The dish highlights the importance of family recipes in preserving cultural and personal history.
On an episode of The Drew Barrymore ShowValerie Bertinelli fell in love all over again with a recipe that’s near and dear to her heart: Tortellini in Brodo. As Bertinelli shared on the show, this simple but classic pasta dish is her “favorite soup in the world.”
This dish is much more than just a comforting meal; it’s a piece of Bertinelli’s family history, a dish her Nonnie used to make. During the episode, Antoni Porowski joined Bertinelli and Barrymore to recreate the classic Italian soup, which is also featured on Porowski’s show, No Taste Like Home. The recipe was a nostalgic favorite for actor and screenwriter Justin Theroux as well, who joined an episode of No Taste Like Home to track down its origins and learn more about his own family’s history.
While Porowski makes the tortellini and broth from scratch, it’s perfectly fine to take shortcuts with store-bought tortellini and bone broth. The filling for the tortellini includes pork loin, garlic, prosciutto di Parma and Parmesan cheese, which are pulsed in a food processor just until they form a paste.
The dough is then shaped into small triangles, wrapped around fingers to create little hats (as Bertinelli’s Nonnie would say) and sealed with a touch of water. Bertinelli shares that her grandmother always made it with a combination of pork, steak and ground beef for a hearty filling that the whole family enjoyed. Of course, this just shows that there’s no wrong way to make your Tortellini in Brodo—and as Porowski points out, those little differences in family recipes may even tell you something about where your ancestors came from.
Once the tortellini is ready, it’s time for the broth, or brodo, which forms the flavorful base of the soup. Porowski encourages a “choose your own adventure” approach to making the stock. You can use ingredients like chicken wings, oxtail or marrow bones, all of which add collagen and flavor to the broth. If you’re unsure where to start, you can try a beef bone broth recipe for a simple option.
A key tip for making the stock is to regularly skim off the impurities and foam that rise to the surface, keeping the broth clear and rich. The result is a deeply savory, comforting soup base. When it’s ready, bring the broth up to a boil and gently place the tortellini in the pot, letting them cook until al dente. When the pasta is cooked, dish up some bowls with a sprinkle of Parm and get ready to dig in.
For Bertinelli, Tortellini in Brodo is more than just a recipe; it’s a connection to her Nonnie’s kitchen and the love passed down through generations. As she and Porowski tasted the finished soup, their excitement was undeniable. The flavors—salty, cheesy and meaty—are deeply comforting, and they couldn’t help but jump up and down in delight.
Beyond the taste, however, the dish carries generations of history. Tortellini in Brodo brings back all those memories of time spent in the kitchen with family and friends—and it’s inspiring us to make some of our own family recipes tonight.