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Fregnacce
Umbrian fregnacce are squares of fresh pasta filled with ragĂą, eggs and pecorino, baked au gratin.
Fregnacce are a hearty Umbrian dish, suitable for lunch or dinner where the fresh pasta becomes the centrepiece of the dish. The thin pastry encloses a rich and tasty filling, built on the ragĂą of meat and Italian sausage, with eggs and pecorino to give it structure and intensity. The result combines the softness of the pastry, the firm consistency of the filling, and the drier, golden crust created in the oven. The final baking process completes the dish without weighing it down with elaborate techniques: the heat melds the flavors, warms the sauce, and creates a distinct gratin on the surface. This recipe is part of Umbria's culinary tradition and showcases simple ingredients through meticulously crafted pastry and carefully controlled baking.
Instructions
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8 steps · natural Italian voice
Prepare the ragĂą
Finely chop the onion and brown it in the olive oil together with the ground meat and to the Italian sausages Crumble. Cook, stirring, until the meat is golden brown and the onion is wilted, with a strong, even aroma.
Add the tomatoes
Add the ripe tomatoes cut into pieces and season with salt to tasteLet it cook until the sauce thickens and loses its excess water, reaching a dense consistency suitable for supporting the filling and gratin.
Prepare the filling
Divide the ragĂą in two parts. In one part incorporate the eggs and the pecorino grated, mixing carefully until you get a mixture consistent and homogeneous, without traces of unmixed egg.
Knead the dough
Sift the flour, add the eggs and a pinch of salt, then knead the dough until smooth and compact. Roll out the dough into a thin, even sheet, even enough to bake without breaking.
Cut the squares
Cut the pastry into squares measuring approximately 20 centimeters (7.87 in) on each side. Keep the edges even and arrange the squares separately so that you can dip them in water and remove them without deforming them.
Blanch the pasta
Bring to a boil Boil two or three squares at a time in plenty of salted water. When they're soft but still whole, transfer them to cold water to stop the cooking, then lay them out on a cloth to dry.
Form the nonsense
Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each square ragĂą and eggs, add a little bit of pecorino and fold the dough until you get a smaller square. Make sure the seal is secure and the filling is contained.
Gratina in the oven
Arrange the nonsense in a baking dish, sprinkle them with the pecorino and distribute the ragù remaining. Bake at 200°C (392°F) until the surface is nicely browned and the sauce is hot. Serve immediately, straight from the oven.
Chef's Tips
Blanch Cut the puff pastry squares a few at a time and cool them immediately in cold water: they will remain whole, easy to handle and suitable for folding without sticking together.
Ingredients
- Ingredients for 6 people
- For the pasta:
- (14.11 oz) 400 g flour
- 4 eggs
- salt
- For the sauce and filling:
- (10.58 oz) 300 g of ground meat, 2 Italian sausages
- 4 eggs, ½ glass of olive oil
- 1 onion
- (28.22 oz) 800 g ripe tomatoes
- (3.53 oz) 100 g of pecorino grated
- salt
Can't find it in the US?
- Italian sausageMost US supermarkets
Mild (sweet) Italian sausage
Or: Plain fresh pork sausage for northern Italian recipes
American Italian sausage contains fennel seed.
- pecorinoMost US supermarkets
Pecorino Romano is the easiest to find
It is saltier than most Italian pecorino: taste before adding salt.
⚠️ Automatic ingredient-based detection. Always check product labels.
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