A recipe for Sorpresine (Homemade Little Surprises)! Little squares of pasta dough are folded twice to resemble tortellini without the filling.
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The recipe for these Sorpresine wasn’t actually the one I had set for this week. I originally planned on making tortellini, but was not able to obtain the meat for the filling due to the current state of the grocery stores (in March 2020).
I happened to be looking through the cookbook, American Sfoglino, and came across Sorpresine- a shape similar to tortellini, but without the filling!
Also known as Tortellini Bugiardi (lying tortellini) or Ingannapreti (priest foolers), this little pasta turned into a fun project with the kids. It is also great practice for those new to shaping pasta since there is no risk of not properly sealing the pasta and losing the ingredients inside or handling raw meat.
Little squares of dough are created by bringing together two opposite corners, then the other two opposite corners in the opposite direction to form a tortellini or cappelletti-like shape with a hollow center.
They are delicious paired with broth or a light sauce.
Notable Ingredients

I used 2/3 ’00’ pasta flour and 1/3 fine semolina to add some sturdiness to the dough. If you do not have semolina available, you can use 3 cups (375 grams) ’00’ or all-purpose flour in a pinch.
Semolina (durum wheat flour) is a flour with a high protein content perfect for a variety of pasta, pancakes, and bread.
It can be located in the specialty flour section of many larger grocery stores (I have found it at Eataly in Los Angeles and Wegmans in Northern Virginia), especially those featuring Italian ingredients or on Amazon: Bob’s Red Mill Semolina Pasta Flour. For this recipe, you will need fine semolina flour.
Do not pack in the flour when measuring or you may end up with too much. To measure flour, gently spoon it into the measuring cup and level with a knife without pressing down. The most accurate way to measure is by weight.
Shaping the Sorpresine

No special equipment is required for this pasta shape, but a couple of items will make it easier.
I rolled out the dough with a wooden rolling pin, though you can use a pasta machine for ease to create a thin sheet of dough.
If using a pasta machine, gradually roll the sheet of dough to the second to thinnest setting. I have tried the thinnest setting in the past and overall the finished pasta just doesn’t hold its shape well when too thin.
I cut the pasta using a 5-Wheel Stainless Steel Cutter. This has been helpful to get more uniform squares in a shorter amount of time.
To shape the pasta, place one square in your hand just under your index finger. Bring together two opposite corners up around your index finger and press just the corners together to make a triangle with a hollow center.
Remove the triangle from around your finger and pull the two remaining corners away from the sealed edge in the opposite direction and press together to make a shape similar to tortellini.
I made the Sorpresine with 1 1/2 inch (4 centimeter) squares, but you can also make them a little smaller at 1 1/4 inches (3 centimeters) or less. Salty Seattle has a video on Youtube for making a beautiful version of the larger Sorprese.
A Few Sorpresine Tips
The exact amount of water required will depend on the moisture content of your eggs and how you measured the flour. 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) is usually perfect for me.
If the pasta dough is too dry and crumbly, slowly add a little more water. If too wet and sticky, slowly add a little more flour until easier to handle (take care not to add too much).
After forming the dough, wrap in plastic or cover and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour. This will make it easier to roll and shape. If you have leftover dough, it can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to a day before using.
If you have a difficult time rolling the dough and it keeps shrinking back, wrap back up in the plastic and allow it to rest for another 15 minutes or so.
Make sure to keep the dough and unfolded squares of pasta covered as you work to keep them from drying out. If you do find the edges starting to dry, dampen them with just a little touch of water to help the edges stick together.
Lightly dust with flour as needed to keep the pasta from sticking to the work surface or pasta machine.
Arrange the formed Sorpresine in a single layer on a semolina-dusted baking sheet. If you don’t want to cook them right away, freeze the baking sheet and once chilled, transferred the pasta to an airtight, freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. The pasta can be boiled straight from the freezer, but you may need to add about 1 minute to the cooking time.
This recipe can easily be divided in half.
Serving Ideas for Sorpresine

I generally like to pair Sorpresine with a light chicken broth, ox broth, or tossed simply in olive oil (or butter), a splash of balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
The pasta is also delicious with a favorite tomato sauce or in a hearty vegetable broth.

Looking for more Homemade Pasta Shapes?
Try my:

This recipe was originally posted in March 2020 and updated in September 2024.
Sorpresine (Little Surprises) Recipe
Adapted from American Sfoglino
Sorpresine (Homemade Little Surprises)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) 00 pasta flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (160 grams) fine semolina plus more for dusting
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) water or just enough for bringing together the dough
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl, add the flour and semolina.
- Make a well in the center. Add the eggs and mix until well-combined.
- Slowly add just enough water to create a soft dough. If too wet, add a little more flour. If too dry, add a little more water.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Place one on a floured work surface and cover the remainder. Dust a large, rimmed baking sheet with fine semolina.
- Roll the dough into a thin sheet using a pasta machine or rolling pin, starting with the widest setting and continuing to press and dusting with flour as needed to the second to last setting, about 1/16th-1/8th inch (1.5-3 millimeters) thick.
- Cut the sheet of pasta into 1 1/2 inch (4 centimeter) wide strips. Cut the pasta again on the perpendicular 1 1/2 inches (4 centimeters) apart to create little squares of dough.
- Remove any irregular pieces around the edges and set aside/cover (you can either cook these as is or reroll/cut).
- Cover most of the squares with a cloth or plastic liner to prevent them from drying out as you work.
- Place one square in your hand just under your index finger. Bring together two opposite corners up around your index finger and press the corners together to make a triangle with a hollow center.
- Remove the triangle from around your finger and pull the two remaining corners away from the sealed edge in the opposite direction and press together to make a shape similar to tortellini.
- Place the formed Sorpresine on the semolina-dusted baking sheet and repeat with remaining squares and remaining dough, keeping the shaped pasta from touching one another.
- Allow to dry uncovered on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes and up an hour.
- To cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta in batches, careful not to overcrowd, and boil until they rise to the surface and are just tender, about 2-3 minutes if fresh. If serving in broth, you can add them straight to the broth during the last couple of minutes of cooking.
- Uncooked pasta can be frozen in a single layer, then transferred to a freezer-safe bag. They can be boiled straight from the freezer, though a minute or two may need to be added to the cooking time.
Anita
The sorpresine are so cute. Now that we have more time at home, this will be a great time to make these instead of using dry pasta as always. 🙂
Irina
I love these dough cuties! It seems a great fun idea for gathering the whole family around the table to complete the task:)
Rebecca
these are too cute! now I need to make some ASAP
Kait | Slumber & Scones
These are super cute! I am always looking for new pasta shapes, since I just started trying to make my own pasta at home. I’ll have to try these!
Dolly @ Little Home in the Making
I’ve never heard of these before, and I love that you adapted your planned recipe into something totally new and different! Because of all those nooks and crannies, I’m sure this pasta holds plenty of delicious sauce 😋. They also seem easy to make compared to other pasta I’ve tried! Can’t wait!