Cappelletti is the Italian stuffed pasta traditionally shaped like a small priest’s hat.
The name cappelletti comes from cappello, the Italian word for “hat,” referring to the pasta’s distinctive folded form. To make cappelletti, a small piece of filled pasta dough is folded and joined around the filling, producing a hat-like shape. Fillings vary by region and family tradition, but can include meat, cheese, or a combination of ingredients.
Cappelletti is strongly associated with Emilia-Romagna, especially the provinces around Reggio Emilia, Parma, and Modena. It is commonly served in broth, particularly during Christmas and other festive meals. In this preparation, the delicate pasta and filling are cooked directly in a meat broth and served as a soup.
Cappelletti is often confused with tortellini because both are small, filled pastas from northern Italy. Their shapes and regional traditions differ, however: tortellini are commonly described as ring-shaped, while cappelletti are identified by their hat-like form. The exact appearance and filling can vary considerably across local recipes.