Which city between Bologna and Modena boasts the best tortellino? Well, if you ask a Bolognese (like myself), he or she will tell you Bologna has the leadership!
Now, an official competition, launched by the Bolognese association Tour-tlen (tourtlen is tortellino as pronounced in the Bolognese dialect), will see five Bolognese chefs and five Modenese chefs compete for the title of best traditional tortellini dish and best creative tortellini dish.
On January 27, inside Palazzo Re Enzo in Bologna, a jury headed by super star chef Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana, will proclaim the winner.
The event will also feature a competition between Bolognese sfogline and Modenese sfogline. The sfogline are the keepers of the important tradition of hand-made pasta: women who patiently knead and roll the dough so it acquires the right thickness, and, in the case of tortellini, stuff, twist and seal them so they take their characteristic shape and do not break open when you cook them.
As for the competition, you know who I’m rooting for.
