Tortellini Pie

In a small bowl, beat together the yolks and 5 tablespoons of the wine. Add the mixture to the processor. Pulse until the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough begins to collect in clumps. If the dough seems dry sprinkle with 2 or more tablespoons of wine and process a second or two. Turn the pastry out onto a counter, gather it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour. At this point the dough could be frozen. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before rolling it out. Frozen dough can be thawed out a day ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.

In a large sauté pan (I use an 18-inch pan, not nonstick), heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the vegetables and pancetta. Leisurely sauté, stirring often, until they begin to color, 8 to 15 minutes. Add the sausage, chicken, pork, beef and bay leaf. Cook over high heat 8 more minutes, or until they begin to brown. Lower the heat to medium and continue sautéing, stirring often with a wooden spoon, 10 to 20 minutes, or until the meat is rich dark brown. It should sizzle quietly in the pan, not violently pop and sputter. Slow browning protects the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan.

Drain off fat by tipping the browned meat into a large seive and shaking it. Put the meat back into the pan, placing it over medium-high heat. Add the wine and cloves. Cook at a lively bubble 3 minutes, or until the wine has evaporated. As the wine bubbles, scrape up the brown glaze from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1/2 cup of the stock. Take about 3 minutes to cook it down to nothing. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste and another 1/2 cup of stock; cook it down to nothing again. Add the remaining stock to the saucepan and let it simmer very slowly, uncovered, 30 to 45 minutes, or until the stock has reduced by about one third and the sauce is moist but not loose. Add the cream and simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste. Allow the ragù to cool; cover and refrigerate. Defat the ragù when it is cold. If you are planning on freezing the ragù, don't add the cream. Freeze the sauce without it and add it in when reheating the sauce for the pie.

In a heavy non-aluminum 3- to 4-quart saucepan, whisk together the yolks and sugar until light in color. Beat in the flour and salt. Slowly whisk in the hot milk until the custard is smooth. Set the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the custard comes to a simmer. Stir continuously at a bare simmer another 5 minutes, or until the custard is thick enough to coat the spoon with a sheet of custard that does not slip off easily. Check for doneness by tasting and making sure there is no flavor of raw flour.

Pour the custard through a medium mesh strainer into a bowl, stir in the butter and cinnamon and cool. Lay a film of plastic wrap over the surface of the custard and refrigerate it.

Grate the cheese in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the parsley, garlic and onion. Run the processor about 3 seconds to mince but not purée the ingredients. Drop in the chicken pieces and pancetta. Pulse to grind quite fine. Add the beef and process a second or two. Turn everything into a bowl and blend in the tomato paste, bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Shape into 1-inch balls.

Line a baking sheet with a triple thickness of paper towels. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook half the meatballs 7 to 8 minutes, or until dark brown and crusty on all sides. Lift out the browned meatballs with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towels. Repeat with the second batch. Once they are cooked and drained, place in a bowl. Pour all the fat out of the pan and add the water. Bring to a boil, scraping up the brown bits in the pan and boil down to about 4 tablespoons. Pour this over the meatballs and cool. Cover and refrigerate.

Remove the pastry dough from the refrigerator about 3 1/2 hours before you plan to serve the pie. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Begin assembly about 2 3/4 to 3 hours before you plan to serve the pie.

Butter the bottom, sides and rim of your springform pan. On a floured surface, roll out two thirds of the pastry to form a 1/8-inch-thick round. Fit it into the springform pan, covering the bottom and sides. Trim the edges at the rim so that there is a 1-inch overhang. Save the scraps for decorations. Roll out the remaining dough to about 1/8-inch chick and trim it to form a 13-inch round. Cover a cookie sheet with foil and lift the pastry onto it. Arrange the scraps around the pastry. Chill both pastries 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the tortellini. Bring the stock or water to a fierce boil. If you are using water, add the salt. Drop in the tortellini and cook 3 to 8 minutes, or until tender but firm enough to have some "bite". Drain well and turn into a large bowl.

Gently warm the ragù. Wrap the meatballs in foil and warm them 10 minutes in a 350°F oven. Remove the meatballs and turn the heat to 400°F. Add two thirds of the ragù (save the rest for another use) to the tortellini, along with half the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and about two thirds of the beaten egg. Gently fold together until well blended.

Take the springform pan and cookie sheet out of the refrigerator. Spoon half the meatballs over the bottom of the crust and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cheese. Spread half the tortellini over the meatballs pressing them down gently with the back of a large spoon. Top with the remaining meatballs and another spoonful of cheese. Add the remaining tortellini, gently pressing them into the filling with the spoon. Dust with the rest of the cheese. Spread the cinnamon custard over all.

Brush the overhanging crust with the beaten egg. Seal the reserved pastry round to the rim of the pie by pinching the two pieces together. Form a thick upstanding rim by rolling the edge in toward the center of the pie. Crimp or flute all around the crust. Brush the entire surface with more beaten egg.

Roll out the leftover dough. Cut 4-inch-long ovals of dough to resemble long California bay leaves. Cut a 1-inch-diameter steam hole in the center of the crust and arrange the leaves in a sunburst pattern around it. Brush all the decorations with beaten egg and set the whole thing on a baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet in the lower third of the oven and bake 40 minutes. Lower the heat to 350°F and bake another 40 minutes. Turn off the oven. Let pie stand in the turned-off oven with the door open halfway 10 to 20 minutes before serving.

Unmold by setting the springform pan on 3 large cans. Release the springform and let it drop down to the counter. Place on a large serving platter. Cut the pie at the table (if your're brave).