Parmesan Tortellini Bites

Cheese-filled tortellini turn into crisp, savoury nibbles when coated in Parmesan crumbs and flash-fried. One 25 g sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano (the amount clinging to these bites) covers roughly 36% of an adult’s daily calcium needs and 24% of phosphorus—two minerals that work together to support strong bones and teeth. Reviews of dairy-protein studies show that regularly eating high-quality milk proteins helps older and middle-aged adults maintain muscle mass and strength.

Dip the bites in warm marinara and you add lycopene, a tomato pigment linked to better heart health. Prospective studies show people who eat seven or more tomato-based servings a week cut their cardiovascular-disease risk by about 30%, while randomised trials report modest reductions in blood pressure and improvements in cholesterol after lycopene supplementation.

Prep time
10 min
Total time
1 hour
Serving
4 persons
Calories
739 kCal

What you need:
Plenty of filtered water, for boiling
Fine sea salt, for the cooking water and seasoning
340 g cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen
60 g plain flour
2 large eggs, beaten
50 g dried breadcrumbs
50 g finely grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve
1 g garlic powder
1 g onion powder
120 ml neutral oil (rapeseed or sunflower)
4 g chopped fresh parsley
120 ml marinara or pizza sauce, warmed
How to do it:
Cook the pasta. Bring a large saucepan of generously salted water to the boil. Add tortellini and cook according to the instructions on the package. Drain and spread on a wire rack to cool and dry.
Prepare the coating line.
Bowl 1: flour
Bowl 2: beaten eggs
Bowl 3: breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder and a pinch of salt—mix well.
Coat. Dust each tortellini in flour, tap off excess, dip in egg, then press into the breadcrumb mix so it sticks. Return to the rack.
Fry. Heat the oil 1 cm deep in a high-sided frying pan to 180 °C (it should shimmer). Fry tortellini in two batches, about 1 min per side, until golden. Drain on the rack and season immediately with a little salt.
Serve. Pile onto a platter, scatter with extra Parmesan and parsley, and hand round the warm marinara for dipping.

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