Tomato Broth with Asparagus Tortellini

For the broth, rinse tomatoes and cut into small pieces. Peel and dice onion. Rinse and dice celery. Heat oil in a saucepan and sauté onion and celery. Stir tomatoes into onion mixture, pour in vegetable stock and season with salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and sugar. Bring stock mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer gently for about 30 minutes.

Strain stock mixture into another saucepan through a fine sieve, discarding solids.

Return broth to a boil, simmer about 10 minutes to reduce and season to taste.

For the filling, rinse asparagus and peel and trim as necessary. Cook asparagus in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain asparagus, saving 2 tablespoons cooking water.

For the pasta, mix wheat flour, the 2 tablespoons cooking water, egg yolks and oil and season with salt. Knead pasta mixture to a smooth dough, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 1 hour.

Cut asparagus into pieces and puree with pine nuts. Stir egg yolks into asparagus mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Thinly roll out pasta dough on a floured surface. With a round cookie cutter 6-8 cm diameter (approximately 2-3 inches diameter), cut about 24 circles from pasta dough. Spoon about 1 tablepoon filling onto center of each pasta circle and brush edges of pasta circles with water. Fold pasta circles in half, press tips together into crescents and squeeze firmly to seal.

Spread tortellini on a floured surface and let dry for at least 30 minutes. Cook tortellini in salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes.