Instructions: Battle Mango - reverse-engineered by David J Rust

for the pasta:
1 recipe pasta dough enough for a thin sheet 2 by 5

for the tortellini filling:
2 mangos peeled, seeded and thinly sliced 1 1/2 Cups ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp amaretti
1 Tbsp sugar

1. Peel the mangos and remove the large seeds in the center. Save the seeds for later. If using canned mango, drain off the excess liquid and pat each mango completely dry. Slice the mango into broad, flat slices and place on a cookie sheet.

2. Bring 2 gallons of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt and the seeds from the 2 mangos. Continue the rest of the recipe while the water boils and infuses with the flavor of the mango seeds.

3. Meanwhile, bake the mango slices in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. This should soften them and impart a roasted flavor to them.

4. In a blender, combine the ricotta, amaretti and sugar. Remove from the blender and puree the roasted mango slices.

5. Combine the mango puree with the ricotta mixture. Blend until smooth.

6. Roll out the pasta dough until about a 1/4" thick; it should be a long strip of dough about 2 feet wide by about 5 feet long.

7. Place two tablespoons of the ricotta mixture evenly down the length of the pasta sheet. The two tablespoons should be a few inches apart from each other, on opposite sides of the middle of the pasta sheet. This way, the two long-sides of the pasta can be folded over the mounds of ricotta and crimped in the middle.

8. Fold the pasta inwards over the ricotta and cut the pasta apart down the middle between the two rows of ricotta. Press the pasta dough together, completely trapping the cheese in the middle. Cut out half-moons around the bulges of filling and discard the remaining pasta. Shape the half-moons into the traditional tortellini shape by bringing the edges together and pushing the bulge inwards with your thumb. It should look, vaguely, like a belly-button.

9. Place the crimped pasta into the boiling water for 6 minutes. Remove the pasta, drain, discard the seeds and serve.

Serves 6 as a small entree.

Iron Chef Notes:
Kobe served this dish with a white sauce that wasnt shown in presentation.

Given the sweetness of the filling, Im betting he made a variant on an Alfredo.

What Id do, is -in a skillet- simmer about a quarter cup of heavy cream with two tablespoons of butter, whisking to incorporate, and -then- adding 2 tablespoons of ricotta. Stir to remove lumps and completely incorporate and, then, spoon over the pasta.

Also, Kobe served crispy, fried items with the pasta and sauce. They were never identified, but -apparently- went well with the sauce. Given their color, Im guessing that he made thin strips of mango, floured them and then fried them in butter until crispy.

Ok, Ill admit it. Ive never made fresh pasta. This is why I didnt try to guess at what Kobe put into his pasta. I would suggest getting a standard pasta recipe and try to use it to make the tortellini.

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