Tortelli Ripieni di Cacciagione Saltati in Padella con Burro e Salvia, Albicocca Disidratata e Reidratata con Vermut, Gelatina di Salvia

Tortelli ripieni di cacciagione saltati in padella con burro e salvia is a refined pasta dish rooted in the culinary traditions of Emilia-Romagna, Italy's heartland of filled pasta. The dish represents the region's mastery of game cookery and classical butter-sage preparations, techniques refined over centuries in the Apennine foothills.

The dish consists of handmade tortelli—square pasta parcels—filled with game meat (cacciagione), typically venison, wild boar, or hare, combined with local cheeses and aromatics. The filled pasta is pan-fried in butter infused with fresh sage, creating a golden, crispy exterior while maintaining a tender interior. The accompaniment of rehydrated apricots (albicocca disidratata e reidratata) prepared with vermouth adds a sophisticated sweet-savory balance, while sage gelatina provides textural contrast and concentrated herbal notes.

What distinguishes an exceptional version is the quality of the game filling—properly aged and finely ground—and the precision of the pasta-making technique. The butter must be clarified to a hazelnut brown without burning, and the sage leaves should remain vibrant and crisp rather than darkened.

Regional variations exist throughout northern Italy, with Tuscany and Piedmont offering their own interpretations using locally hunted game. However, the Romagna version, exemplified at **Da Gorini** in San Piero in Bagno, represents the classical approach, where the interplay between rich game, delicate pasta, and herbaceous sage achieves particular refinement.