The 'Camera di Commercio, Industria, Artigianato e Agricoltura di Bologna' has produced a small paperback called 'La Mercanzia' which outlines the history and background to tortellini pasta from Bologna and tagliatelle pasta.

It is without doubt the definitive source for anyone seeking information about Emilia Romagna's classic pasta.

It is at the above Camera di Commercio where the official recipes for 'tortellini di Bologna' and 'ragu Bolognese' have been deposited for posterity, as well as the correct measurements for real tagliatella pasta from Bologna or 'tagliatella di Bologna'.

There is even a sample tagliatella in a locked box used to settle arguments.

We have outlined the secrets behind the correct tortellini filling here but the history of tortellino is more than interesting.

Tortellini belongs to the family of 'ripiena' or filled pastas added to soups and include ravioli, tortelli, agnolotti, cappelletti etc.

The first recorded mention of such pasta variants is in a book titled 'De Arte Coquinaria' by Maestro Martino who was the personal chef to Rev.mo Mons. Camerlengo, patriarch of Aquileia in the 15th century.

The recipe contained lots of herbs and spices but also pork, mature cheese and veal.

Over the centuries each pasta adapted to a particular type of soup and tortellino as we know started to take on its recognisable form.

This carried on until the present day when it was decided to register an offical recipe in the early 1970's.

Nevertheless, the past hasn't been forgotten and all the recipes over the centuries have been added to the records.

They include 'tortelletti con la polpa di cappone' from 1570, 'cappelletti alla bolognese' from 1800 and 'tortellini alla bolognese' from 1891.