Today National Tortellini Day
February 13, 2018
The Bottom Line: February 13th National Tortellini Day!
The Full Story:
February 13th National Tortellini Day! Tortellini, ring shaped pasta from the Bolognese region of Italy, is also sometimes called “belly button pasta” because its shape resembles a navel – and in fact, the word tortellini literally means belly button of Venus.
In 1965, Alessandro Cervellati founded the “Brotherhood of the tortellino” to celebrate this magical dish, which he described as “a sensual intercourse between woman’s attractiveness and a gastronomic creation.” Wow, someone really likes pasta.
Even the myths about the creation of Tortellini are pretty risqué. One legend is that the Pope’s beautiful daughter, Lucrezia Borgia stayed at an inn, and the creepy innkeeper was so entranced that he decided to be a peeping tom. All he could see through the keyhole, however, was her navel. This sensual sight sent him into a mad ecstasy of inspiration in which he invented tortellini.
Another myth says that goddess Venus and god Jupiterstopped at a tavern near Bologna after an important battle. They reveled and drank, and then went up to rest. The curious innkeeper peaked in at them (through the keyhole, once again) and saw Venus’ navel. Entranced, he created the tortellini in its image.
Elbow pasta, belly-button pasta – what is this obsession for naming pasta after the human body? If you really want tortellini to be a part of you, I recommend you go eat it.