Cappelletti

Cappelletti, - caplìt in Ferrara's dialect- are a type of filled pasta shaped as small hats with three points or, according to others, inspired by goddess Venus' belly button. Their filling - called batù - is usually a mix of meats, cheese and nutmeg.

According to tradition, cappelletti are cooked and served in a flavourful capon or chicken broth, a warm and cozy dish very common during the Christmas holidays. Some people like to drain them from the broth and eat them with cream.

The origin of Cappelletti has always been reason of rivalry between Ferrara, Modena and Bologna. But there is important proof in Ferrara's favour: in the book Banchetti, composizioni di vivande e apparecchio generale by the cook Cristoforo da Messisbugo, published in 1549, there is a recipe for “Tortelletti grassi d’altra sorte”. The filling described in the book is very similar to bagù, suggesting a relation between cappelletti and the ancient traditional cuisine of the court of Ferrara.