One type of soup in particular doesn’t demand your attention. It doesn’t have a name taken from a Michelin-starred kitchen or a striking garnish when it is served. It simply sits there, steaming silently, and somehow conveys everything. That’s Tortellini in Brodo, which is, according to Valerie Bertinelli, her favorite soup in the world. After hearing the backstory, it’s hard to disagree.
During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Bertinelli brought up the dish, but her discussion of it wasn’t typical of a food personality discussing a recipe. It was the manner in which a person is discussed. She talked about seeing her “Nonnie,” her grandmother, manually form the tiny pasta parcels into what the older woman referred to as “little hats” by wrapping them around a finger. There’s an odd permanence to that picture. The kitchen, the flour on the counter, and an elderly woman moving with the ease of decades of practice are all practically visible.
Stuffed pasta cooked in broth is the simplest way to describe tortellini in Brodo. However, that is about as accurate as referring to a cathedral as a structure with a roof. In the classic version, pork loin, prosciutto di Parma, garlic, and Parmesan cheese are pulsed together to create a thick, flavorful paste inside the tortellini. It appears that Bertinelli’s grandmother also included ground beef and steak, giving her version a heartiness that was uniquely her own. Family recipes feel like documents because of these minor variations that are passed down from one kitchen to the next. They contain data about deceased individuals.
The other half of the equation, and perhaps the more significant one, is the broth, or brodo as it is correctly called. In the segment with Bertinelli and Barrymore, chef and TV host Antoni Porowski promoted a “choose your own adventure” approach to the stock. Oxtail, marrow bones, and chicken wings are all acceptable ingredients that give the finished dish a slightly different flavor. The one constant piece of advice is to skim the broth’s surface frequently while it simmers to remove any rising foam and contaminants and maintain the broth’s cleanliness. It’s a methodical, slow process that values perseverance over quickness.
The soup works equally well with store-bought, chilled tortellini and a high-quality, low-sodium chicken broth for home cooks who aren’t planning to spend a weekend preparing pasta from scratch. That’s not a compromise; rather, it’s an admission that the essence of the dish lies not in whether you rolled the dough yourself on a Tuesday night, but rather in the brodo and the intention behind making it. A tiny piece of Parmesan rind added to the simmering broth gives it depth that is nearly unbelievable for something so basic.
The fact that this dish isn’t ostentatious makes it subtly intriguing that it has become Bertinelli’s signature culinary moment. Despite having years of experience cooking on camera as a Food Network star, the recipe she can’t stop talking about only requires six basic ingredients and takes less than an hour. That has a certain comforting quality. The most sincere food writers and chefs may have always understood that comfort and memory are nearly always more important than technique.
A final garnish of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and, if desired, a tiny squeeze of lemon juice that subtly brightens everything are added to the soup. Bertinelli and Porowski appeared to jump up and down after tasting the finished bowl together on camera. Two people in a television studio, genuinely delighted by something their grandmothers could have made in any regular kitchen fifty years ago, make for an unforgettable moment.
Maybe that’s exactly what Tortellini in Brodo is. This is a recipe for remembering rather than for soup.
FAQs
1. What is Valerie Bertinelli’s favorite soup?
Tortellini in Brodo, a traditional Italian pasta soup her grandmother made.
2. Who taught Valerie Bertinelli this soup recipe?
Her grandmother, affectionately called “Nonnie,” passed it down through generations.
3. Can you use store-bought tortellini for this recipe?
Yes, refrigerated store-bought tortellini works perfectly well.
4. What goes inside the tortellini filling?
Pork, prosciutto, garlic, and Parmesan cheese form the traditional filling.
5. How long does this soup take to make?
Around 50 minutes total, including prep and cooking time.
