Casoncelli di Barbariga

Casoncelli di Barbariga

A stuffed pasta from the Lombard village of Barbariga, traditionally filled with a mix of braised beef, sausage, bread soaked in milk, amaretti, and Grana Padano, then tossed in melted butter with sage and pancetta.

Prep

60 min

Cook

25 min

Total

85 min

Serves

4 (makes about 40 casoncelli)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) tipo 00 flour, plus extra for dusting
• •3 whole (3 large) eggs, plus 1 yolk if needed for hydration
• •60 ml (¼ cup) water, cold, added only if dough feels dry
• •1 g (¼ tsp) fine salt
• •200 g (7 oz) beef chuck or shin, for braising
• •100 g (3½ oz) Italian pork sausage, skinned, meat only
• •1 small yellow onion, halved, plus 1 finely chopped
• •1 stalk celery
• •1 small carrot
• •60 g (2 oz) stale country bread, crust removed, soaked in milk and squeezed
• •40 g (⅓ cup) Grana Padano, freshly grated; Parmigiano-Reggiano is an acceptable substitute
• •1 whole amaretto cookie, about 8 g; crumbled. Authentic and not optional in the traditional filling
• •1 pinch ground nutmeg
• •1 g (¼ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
• •80 g (2¾ oz) pancetta, cut into thin strips (cubetti)
• •60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
• •8 fresh leaves (8 leaves) fresh sage
• •30 g (¼ cup) Grana Padano, extra, for finishing
• •1 L (4 cups) lightly salted water, for cooking the casoncelli

Steps

1. 1 Make the filling base: place the beef, sausage meat, halved onion, celery, and carrot in a small pot, cover with water, bring to a gentle simmer, and braise covered for about 90 minutes until the beef is very tender (internal temperature 90°C / 195°F and fork-tender). Cool in the broth, then drain.
2. 2 Finely chop the braised beef and sausage together (or pass through the coarse plate of a meat grinder). Sauté the finely chopped onion in 10 g of the butter over low heat until translucent but not browned, about 6 minutes, and add to the meat.
3. 3 Add the squeezed bread, grated Grana Padano, crumbled amaretto, nutmeg, pepper, and a pinch of salt to the meat mixture. Mix thoroughly; the filling should be moist but hold its shape when pressed. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
4. 4 Make the pasta dough: mound the flour on a clean surface, make a well, add the eggs and salt. Whisk the center with a fork, gradually drawing in flour, then knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add the cold water only if the dough feels too dry. Wrap in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
5. 5 Roll the dough into thin sheets (about 1.5 mm / 1/16 inch) on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 6 to 7 cm / 2½ inch rounds.
6. 6 Place a heaped teaspoon (about 12 to 14 g) of filling in the center of each round. Fold the dough over into a half-moon, seal the edges firmly, then bring the two corners together and pinch to form the characteristic curved 'candy-wrapper' or ear shape of casoncelli.
7. 7 Set the shaped casoncelli on a floured tray. They can be cooked now or frozen on the tray and transferred to a bag once solid.
8. 8 Render the pancetta in a wide skillet over medium heat with 10 g of the butter until the fat is translucent and lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Add the sage leaves and remaining butter, turn off the heat, and keep warm.
9. 9 Bring the salted water to a gentle boil. Lower the casoncelli in small batches (do not crowd) and cook 3 to 4 minutes from when the water returns to a boil; they are done when they float and the pasta is tender. Do not simmer hard or the delicate seams may open.
10. 10 Lift the casoncelli out with a slotted spoon directly into the skillet with the butter, pancetta, and sage. Toss gently over very low heat for 30 seconds to coat.
11. 11 Divide among warm plates, spoon the brown butter and pancetta over the top, and finish with extra grated Grana Padano. Serve immediately.