Anna was born in Modena, Emilia-Romagna’s slightly sassier sister city – known for fast cars, aged balsamic, and Nonne who don’t always play by the rules. Anna was one of them.

While her cousins were perfecting veal and brodo, Anna was sneaking bites of prosciutto cotto and nibbling on young cheeses in the cellar. She always had one foot in tradition and the other in “let’s make it yummier.” Her big breakthrough? Ham & Cheese Tortellini – not exactly traditional, but once people tasted it, they didn’t care.

Her mother, Assunta, was a no-nonsense woman who rolled pasta before sunrise and expected silence until the third espresso. Her father, Bruno, was a schoolteacher with a soft spot for buttery pasta. Anna inherited both: her mother’s hands and her father’s soul.

She created her signature tortellini with a blend of creamy ricotta, diced cooked ham and Parmesan.

Served in cream sauce or buttered with peas, it became a favourite with bambini and grown-ups alike. Her kitchen became the hub for family and friends, old and new.

Anna says:

“People want food like they want love – warm, cheesy, and not too complicated.”