Beef Tortellini with Yogurt Sauce

Ease of Preparation: Medium
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 ½ cups (360 ml) flour
• ¾ teaspoon (4 ml) salt
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) water

Filling:

• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/3 pound (150 g) ground beef
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) all-spice
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) fresh ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
• ½ cup (120 ml) pine nuts, toasted

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cornstarch
• 3 ½ tablespoons (52.5 ml) water
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 cups (960 ml) fall-fat plain yoghurt
• ¾ cup (180 ml) water
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) fresh ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice

To serve:

• 2/3 cup (160 ml) basmati rice, cooked
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) chopped fresh cilantro
• Lemon wedges
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) pine nuts, toasted

Method:

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt for the dough.

Add water to the bowl slowly, mixing with your hands.

Knead until dough is smooth.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the onion and ground beef and sauté until meat is cooked through.

Add the all-spice, nutmeg, black pepper, and salt and turn heat to medium-low. Sauté until onions are soft.

Remove from heat, stir in the pine nuts, and set aside to cool.

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out very thinly on a lightly floured surface.

Using a 1 ½-inch (3.8 cm) cutter or a shot glass, cut out rounds from the dough.

Put approximately one teaspoon of beef filling into the centre of each round.

Fold round in half to create a half-moon shape, pinching edges closed with your thumb and index finger.

Place your index finger against the flat edge of the half moon, then pull the bottom corners around your finger to touch. Remove your finger and pinch corners together, leaving a hole.

Repeat until all the tortellini are made, then put on a plate and put in the refrigerator.

To make the yoghurt sauce, mix cornstarch with water until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over low heat and add garlic. Sauté until golden.

Add yoghurt to saucepan, then whisk in ¾ cup (180 ml) water, and bring to a boil, making sure to stir constantly.

Add cornstarch water, continuously whisking. Add cumin, pepper, and salt and cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add lemon juice and stir.

In a separate pot of water, bring water to a boil and add tortellini. Reduce heat and cook until tortellini is done. Drain tortellini of water.

Pour sauce over tortellini and stir.

Serve with cooked rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro, juice from a lemon wedge, and toasted pine nuts.