Terrific Tortellini

In a mixer, add eggs and salt to bowl and start mixing on low speed. Gradually add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until fully incorporated. When dough begins to ball up, stop mixer and remove ball to a clean counter that you have dusted lightly with a little flour. Knead dough for about 5 minutes until smooth, adding flour a tablespoon at a time only if dough is very sticky. Once a smooth ball is formed, wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so flour may properly hydrate. To make the filling, heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage meat and break up with spatula. Cook just until done but do not allow to get brown. Remove to paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool, about 20 minutes. In a bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, egg, parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg and granulated garlic. Once cooled, add the drained, cooked sausage and mix. Set aside bowl in refrigerator. Once dough has finished resting in refrigerator for 30 minutes, remove plastic wrap and place dough back on counter that is lightly dusted with flour. Cut dough ball into quarters (just because it’s easier to work with in smaller sizes). Using a rolling pin, dust pin with flour, then gradually roll out each quarter of the dough until thin (you should almost be able to see through it).  Use something circular (a cookie cutter, smalll glass, etc.) to mark off circles of 1 1/2” to 2” in width (I use a champagne flute!). At first, just make the imprint of a circle as a guide and add your filling, exactly 1 level teaspoon at a time, onto the middle of each circular impression. Now go back and use the same circular form to cut each circle through. Take a glass of water and dip your finger in, and swipe a strip of water around half of the dough circle you just cut out. Fold the dry half over onto the wet half and press together. You now have a pasta shape called a “mezza luna” (“half moon”). Use a drop of water to dampen one corner of the mezza luna and twist the pasta around your forefinger like a ring. Press the corners together. Now, remove the ring of pasta from your finger and flip down the top. Congratulations! You’ve made ONE tortellino (that’s the singular of “tortellini”). Place this on a lightly floured plate and repeat until you have made as many as you’d like. 25 usually make a serving for one, depending on the sauce, so you can calculate how many you’ll need. And, you will get fast with practice! (Don’t worry if they don’t look particularly beautiful at first - once they’re cooked and sauced, you won’t notice, and they’ll taste the same). If you don’t plan on cooking them right away, wrap your plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to cook, Boil a large pot of water with several tablespoons of salt in it. Place in the tortellini and boil just 2 to 3 minutes until they float. Skim them out and put them into a skillet of your favorite sauce, heated at medium heat. Toss in the sauce for a minute or two, add some parmesan or Romano cheese (your preference), maybe a crack of black pepper, and serve!