85yr old Maria Concetta shows us how she makes her Rotolo— a stuffed pasta roll filled with local sausage, ricotta, and spinach, all wrapped and boiled in a cloth, just like her mother used to do over fifty years ago.
INGREDIENTS
For the Pasta Dough
- 2½ cups durum wheat semolina flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- Water, as needed (usually 2–4 tablespoons)
For the Filling
- 7–9 ounces fresh pork sausage, removed from casings if necessary (seasoned with wild fennel and a touch of chili)
- 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese (about 9 ounces)
- 7 ounces fresh spinach (about 6–7 packed cups before cooking)
For the Sauce
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 3 whole cloves
- 14–18 ounces pork belly, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup dry red wine
- 1 cup tomato paste (about one 8½-ounce jar)
- ¼ cup water (about half a drinking glass)
- 1 (14-ounce) can cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
