BEST BITE | TORTELLINI IN BRODO
Tortellini in Brodo
Monteverde, Chicago
Tortellini in Brodo at Monteverde — A Warm Embrace in a Bowl
There are few dishes that offer the kind of pure, soul-deep comfort that tortellini in brodo does. The moment I see it on Monteverde’s menu, I don’t hesitate—I order it immediately. In fact, I eagerly await its seasonal return, knowing that a bowl of these delicate, hand-rolled pasta parcels floating in rich, golden broth is the closest thing to a warm embrace on a cold February night. It appears for only a short time each year, making every bowl feel like a small luxury —one worth savoring while you can.
A dish of quiet elegance, tortellini in brodo is a pillar of Emilia-Romagna’s culinary tradition. Often served as the first course of a Christmas feast, it is at once simple yet deeply nuanced, a dish that rewards attention rather than demands it. The tortellini—traditionally filled with pork, prosciutto, mortadella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a dash of nutmeg—are hand-folded with precision, their delicate forms cradled in a brodo, or broth, that has been slowly coaxed into richness. The result is both rustic and refined, a meal that doesn’t shout for attention but lingers in your memory long after the last sip.
At Monteverde, Chef Sarah Grueneberg and her team craft each prosciutto and duck-filled tortellino by hand in their open-air pastificio, just behind the bar. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the pasta makers in action—a quiet kind of magic, hands moving with instinctive precision, transforming dough into tiny rings of tradition. This is a skill handed down through generations, a culinary art form that speaks of patience, precision, and care. And when you take that first bite, you taste not just technique, but history.
For me, tortellini in brodo is deeply personal. My Nana Kay used to make it, and with every sip of brodo, I am transported back to her kitchen—the warmth, the ritual, the feeling of being cared for. My papa reminisces about his own childhood, when his grandfather would pour a splash of red wine into the final sips—a tradition I continue today. This is a dish that nourishes in every sense of the word, fortifying you on a cold winter night, soothing you when you’re under the weather, offering the kind of comfort that can only come from something made with care. And more than being mere food, it’s memory and connection.
Though humble in its ingredients, tortellini in brodo is a dish of skill and refinement. The broth—silky and deeply flavored yet never heavy—seeps into your bones, while the tortellini, tender and yielding, offer the perfect bite. It is, in many ways, the culinary embodiment of quiet luxury—understated yet incredibly satisfying, simple yet requiring a mastery that only comes with time.
Monteverde is the perfect place for this kind of experience—bustling yet intimate, lively yet warm. Grueneberg, a James Beard Award-winning chef and pasta virtuoso, has created a space that embodies her love of Italian cuisine, seamlessly blending regional traditions with her own personal touch of Texan soul. Every plate tells a story, and tortellini in brodo is one worth savoring.
And then, there’s the final ritual—a splash of Lambrusco into the last sips of broth. For centuries, Italians—particularly the elderly—would pour a bit of red wine into their brodo, believing it aids digestion and cuts the richness of the dish. Monteverde honors this tradition, offering a small pour of Lambrusco as you reach the bottom of your bowl. The dry, lightly effervescent red wine marries with the broth, adding a delicate fruitiness to the last lingering tastes—a final, quiet cheers to a meal well enjoyed.
Whenever I see tortellini in brodo on a menu, whether in Chicago or Italy, I order it. And always at Monteverde. Because it is more than just a dish. It is a reminder that the simplest things—good pasta, good broth, good company (and always, a little splash of wine)—are what truly nourish us.
Monteverde | 1020 W Madison St | Chicago, IL | monteverdechicago.com
