The pasta, first of all. Heap the flour into a mound on the table and hallow out the center into which you will break 5 whole eggs. Gradually work the eggs into the flour. The result will be a slab of dough that you will shape into a ball and that you will leave under a tea towel to rest while you prepare the filling.

Boil the potatoes. Cup up 2 cloves of garlic and a nice sprig of parsley. Add a ripe tomato, peeled and diced, a generous handful of Parmesan and a pinch of nutmeg. Then mix it all with the peeled, mashed potatoes, adding salt and pepper and, last of all, a whole, lightly beaten egg.

Roll out the dough and cut into strips 1 ½ inches wide. Over half of these, spread 5 or 6 tablespoons of stuffing at well-spaced distances. Cover each trip with another one of pasta and seal by pressing down well on the borders. Cut each strip into tortelli that you will place on a lightly floured tea towel as you go.

Boil the tortelli in plenty of salted water, draining off the water when cooked but still firm to the bite. Make sure that the pasta is well-cooked. Serve them spread with a good meat sauce and sprinkled liberally with Parmesan cheese. This is also delicious with just butter and sage, provided that there is always lots of Parmesan.