6 OF THE BEST

Supermarket tortelloni

By Tomé Morrissy-Swan

Tortelloni (the larger cousins of tortellini), are a belly button-shaped pasta, stuffed with all sorts of delicious fillings, originating in northern Italy. These days you’ll be hard-pressed to find a supermarket pasta aisle without them, from the classic spinach and ricotta to fancier concoctions involving butternut squash or venison.

Masha Rener, head chef at London pasta restaurant Lina Stores, an outcrop of a 75-year-old Italian deli in Soho, says: “Tortellini is a very traditional pasta, and each family has its own recipe, passed down over generations.”

In Bologna, they might be filled with mortadella, a pistachio and pepper-filled luncheon meat. In Umbria, Rener says they’re more likely to be stuffed with three meats: chicken, beef and pork. Rener likes to slow-roast meat and vegetables for the filling. But if pressed for time it’s worth going for a readymade option. “The broth is important too – cook in free-range chicken stock.”

MATTARELLO BUTTERNUT SQUASH, THYME AND SAGE TORTELLI £3.99 FOR 250G, OCADO

Larger than a tortellini, these boast a thick, creamy, wintry filling using herbs delicately to great effect. Ricotta provides a tart balance, but the pasta itself is king: silky, al dente, and flavoursome. 10/10

£7.50 FOR 295G, WAITROSE

With a strong beef, wine and rosemary flavour, the generous filling tastes like a good bolognese. The pasta is thick and silky. The included sage butter and parmesan (explaining the added cost) is a nice touch. 8/10