Bergamo-style casoncelli
Casoncelli alla bergamasca
Traditional recipe
Bergamo stuffed pasta with a half-moon shape, with a sweet and savory meat filling, amaretti cookies, raisins and mostaccino, seasoned with melted butter and pancetta.
Casoncelli (in dialect 'casonsei') are the typical stuffed pasta of Bergamo, with a history dating back to the 15th century. The recipe is cited in ancient Lombard culinary texts and has remained surprisingly faithful to the medieval original. The filling is one of the most original in Italian cuisine: it combines sweet ingredients (amaretti cookies, raisins, mostaccino, pear) with savory ingredients (beef, Italian sausage, Parmigiano Reggiano). This sweet-savory combination is typical of medieval Lombard cuisine, which did not clearly distinguish between sweet and savory flavors. Casoncelli are seasoned with melted butter, pancetta Crunchy and sage: a simple condiment that enhances the complexity of the filling without overpowering it.
Instructions
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4 steps · natural Italian voice
Prepare and cool the filling
Brown ground meat And Italian sausage in a drizzle of olive oil 6–8 minutes over medium heat- until they are golden brown and free of moisture (the sizzling changes). Transfer to cool, then add amaretti cookies crumbled, raisins squeezed, Parmigiano Reggiano, an egg, nutmeg and salt. Mix until you get a mixture homogeneous and consistent that maintains its shape when modeled.
Knead and roll out the pasta sheet
Pour the flour into a fountain shape, add the eggs and knead vigorously for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Roll out the pasta sheet by car or rolling pin in several passes up to 1–1.5 mm, checking that the surface is silky and without cracks.
Forming the casoncelli
Cut discs of about (3.15 in) 8 cm, place a teaspoon Fill the center with filling. Fold into a half-moon shape, press the edges to seal, and fold the edges up to create a candy shape. Seal the seams well (wet with water or egg white if necessary). Arrange on a floured tray without overlapping them.
Cook and vigorously stir
Cook in plenty of salted water: the casoncelli are ready 3–4 minutes after they float. Drain, keeping some aside. tablespoon of water. Melt the butter until it turns hazelnut brown, add the pancetta and make it crispy, add the sage for a few seconds. Transfer the casoncelli to skillet And vigorously stir gently with cooking water to emulsify; serve with Parmigiano Reggiano.
Chef's Tips
The sweet-salty contrast of the filling is the fundamental feature: do not reduce the amaretti cookies or theraisinsThe pastry should be thin but not transparent: the right thickness allows the filling to "breathe" during cooking. The butter should be golden (not burnt) when the sage arrives: the aroma is the right signal.
Ingredients
- For the pasta: (10.58 oz) 300 g of 00 flour, 3 eggs
- For the filling: (5.29 oz) 150 g ground beef
- For the filling: (1.76 oz) 50 g of Italian sausage pork (without casing)
- For the filling: (1.06 oz) 30 g of amaretti cookies crumbled
- For the filling: (1.06 oz) 30 g of raisins soaked and squeezed
- For the filling: (1.76 oz) 50 g of Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- For the filling: 1 egg, nutmeg, salt
- For dressing: (2.82 oz) 80 g butter, (2.82 oz) 80 g pancetta diced, sage leaves, Parmigiano Reggiano grated
Can't find it in the US?
- 00 flourMost US supermarkets
All-purpose flour, same weight
Or: Bread flour for pizza and bread
- Italian sausageMost US supermarkets
Mild (sweet) Italian sausage
Or: Plain fresh pork sausage for northern Italian recipes
American Italian sausage contains fennel seed.
- amaretti cookiesMost US supermarkets
Crushed almond biscotti plus a drop of almond extract
- pancettaMost US supermarkets
Unsmoked bacon or salt pork, blanched 1 minute in boiling water
Salt pork is saltier: taste before adding salt.
⚠️ Automatic ingredient-based detection. Always check product labels.
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