Shiitake Mushroom Tortellini w/ Soy Cream Sauce

Okay, board the crazy train with me for a second. This shiitake mushroom “tortellini” with soy cream sauce came out of a family conversation we had recently about using wonton skins for ravioli. This has kind of been a pseudo-trend in and around the internet and Food Network television, and my problem with it has always been that wonton skins are much too thin for ravioli. Really, wonton skins are not actually meant to be folded in half and then boiled. They’re supposed to be folded like, well…a wonton – in an easy tortellini recipe. It creates the perfect mix of textures that gets lost when you do something as boring as fold them in half. Which is what led me to this: a filling of mushrooms, ricotta, and scallions, folded kind of like a wonton/tortellini mash-up, and quick-cooked in a sauce of cream and soy sauce. And sprinkled over the top? Crispy panko “pangritata.” Pangritata is essentially crisped up breadcrumbs, use as a topping for pasta by poor folks who couldn’t afford cheese. In this case, we went with panko, because: 1) it’s EXTREMELY crispy and 2) because we’re obviously going for the whole Asian thing here. All kidding aside, my dad went pretty crazy for this mushroom tortellini recipe, so I’d say it was pretty successful and hopefully it is the first of more tortellini recipes. It uses that similar combination of mushrooms, dairy, and soy sauce, that’s so successful in our popular Soy Sauce Butter Pasta with Shrimp and Shiitakes. If you’re into fusion, give this one a try!

Recipe Instructions

In a skillet over medium high heat, add a few good lugs of olive oil. Add the fresh shiitake mushrooms and season with salt. Sauté the mushrooms until tender and caramelized. This could take a while, so don’t rush the process! Once the mushrooms are caramelized, you might have some sticky bits at the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with a bit of water. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a mixing bowl and add the scallion, crushed red pepper flake, Parmesan, ricotta cheese, egg, and salt and pepper to taste. To assemble, use a bit of water to dampen the edges of each wonton wrapper, and add a teaspoon of filling to the middle. Fold in half diagonally so you get a triangle. Make sure there aren’t any air bubbles in the middle, and that the edges are tightly sealed. Bring the two farthest corners of the triangle together to make a pseudo “tortellini” shape. Continue assembling until you’ve run out of filling. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the mushroom tortellini. In a skillet over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add the panko breadcrumbs and stir constantly until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add a couple tablespoons more oil to the skillet and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and cream, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes and add the soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Season with pepper. By now, the water for the tortellini should be boiling. Cook the tortellini in the boiling water for 20 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer them to the sauce and simmer for another 60-90 seconds. Serve immediately, garnished with your panko pangrittata and more scallions. These Shiitake mushroom tortellini are so creamy and delicious!