Tortellini is a kind of pasta that's filled with meat or cheese and shaped into small circles. In Italy, tortellini is traditionally served in a rich broth.
Many Americans think of tortellini as cheese-stuffed pasta smothered in marinara, topped with more cheese. This Italian dish originated in the Emilia-Romagna region, where it's usually filled with a mixture of pork and cured meats, Parmesan, and egg, and seasoned with nutmeg. Each tortellini is small, no larger than an inch across, and twisted into a distinctive ring. The Italian tortellini is the plural form of tortellino, from Latin torta, "round bread or cake."