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Casoncelli di Barbariga
Rooted in Italy, Casoncelli di Barbariga is a pasta enjoyed for generations.
About Casoncelli di Barbariga
Rooted in Italy, Casoncelli di Barbariga is a pasta enjoyed for generations. The noodles are the star, dressed simply and eaten with relish.
🏛️ History & Culture
Casoncelli di Barbariga are a stuffed pasta from the Lombardy region of Italy, specifically associated with the small town of Barbariga in the province of Brescia. Their precise origins are debated, as stuffed pastas have been made across northern Italy for centuries, but the distinct shape and filling of this version have been a local tradition for generations.
Regional variations of casoncelli appear throughout Lombardy, with fillings ranging from meat and breadcrumbs to cheese and vegetables, often spiced with nutmeg or cinnamon. In Barbariga, the pasta is typically served simply with melted butter and grated Parmesan or sage, reflecting a rustic, celebratory dish tied to family gatherings and local festivals.
🍳 How to make Casoncelli di Barbariga
AI-assisted, not kitchen-testedCasoncelli 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Divide among warm plates, spoon the brown butter and pancetta over the top, and finish with extra grated Grana Padano. Serve immediately.
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