Casoncelli alla Bergamasca

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large wooden board or clean work surface for pasta making
• •Pasta machine or long wooden rolling pin
• •8cm round cutter or drinking glass
• •Large pot for boiling pasta
• •Spider or slotted spoon
• •Large light-colored skillet for the sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pasta dough

   Mound the flour on a wooden board or clean work surface. Make a well in the center deep enough to hold the eggs. Crack the eggs into the well. Add the olive oil and salt. Using a fork, beat the eggs gently, gradually pulling flour from the inner walls of the well. When the mixture becomes too thick to stir, use your hands to bring the remaining flour into the dough. Knead vigorously for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed. It should feel like your earlobe. Wrap tightly in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

   If the dough feels dry and shaggy, wet your hands slightly and continue kneading. If it sticks to everything, dust with flour. The dough will come together. Trust the process.
2. 2

   Prepare the filling

   In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, crushed amaretti, grated Grana Padano, egg, garlic paste, parsley, and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands until the ingredients are evenly distributed. The mixture should hold together when pressed. Fry a small spoonful in a pan, taste it, and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate the filling while you roll the pasta.

   One small clove of garlic is sufficient. This is not the place for garlic to announce itself. It should be a background note, nothing more.
3. 3

   Roll the pasta

   Divide the rested dough into four pieces. Work with one piece at a time, keeping the others covered. Using a pasta machine or a long rolling pin, roll the dough into thin sheets, approximately 1mm thick. You should nearly be able to see your hand through it. Dust lightly with flour as needed to prevent sticking.

4. 4

   Cut and fill the casoncelli

   Using a round cutter approximately 8cm in diameter (a drinking glass works), cut circles from the pasta sheet. Place a scant tablespoon of filling slightly off-center on each circle. Brush the edges lightly with water. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon, pressing firmly to seal and eliminate air pockets. Starting from one corner, fold the sealed edge over itself in small pleats, creating the characteristic ridged border of casoncelli. Place finished pasta on a flour-dusted tray in a single layer.

   Work quickly. Fresh pasta dries out, and dry pasta does not seal properly. If the edges crack when you try to pleat, you have waited too long. Cover finished casoncelli with a clean towel.
5. 5

   Render the pancetta

   In a large skillet, cook the diced pancetta over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the pieces become golden and crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.

6. 6

   Brown the butter with sage

   Add the butter to the pancetta fat. Melt over medium heat, swirling occasionally. When the foam subsides, add the sage leaves. Continue cooking, watching carefully, until the butter turns the color of hazelnuts and smells nutty, not burned. This takes 3 to 4 minutes. The sage leaves should be crisp. Remove from heat immediately. Browned butter becomes burned butter in seconds.

   Use a light-colored pan so you can see the butter change color. In a dark pan, you are guessing. Guessing leads to burned butter, and burned butter leads to starting over.
7. 7

   Cook the casoncelli

   Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil. Salt it generously. It should taste like the sea. Add the casoncelli in batches, being careful not to crowd the pot. They will sink, then float. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes after they float, until the pasta is tender and the filling is cooked through. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon directly into the skillet with the brown butter.

8. 8

   Finish and serve

   Return the skillet to low heat. Toss the casoncelli gently in the brown butter, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to help the sauce coat the pasta. Return the crispy pancetta to the pan. Toss once more. Divide among warm plates, ensuring each portion receives sage leaves and pancetta. Pass additional Grana Padano at the table. Once the pasta is sauced, serve it promptly, inviting your guests and family to put off talking and start eating.

Chef Tips

• •The amaretti must be the dry, crisp kind from Saronno or similar, not soft macaroons. Crush them to a fine powder between sheets of parchment with a rolling pin. Their bitterness from the almonds balances the sweetness.
• •Casoncelli can be frozen on the tray until solid, then transferred to bags. Cook directly from frozen, adding a minute to the cooking time. They keep for one month.
• •Some families in Bergamo add a small handful of raisins to the filling. This is traditional but not universal. If you include them, soak them first in warm water and chop them fine.
• •The pleated edge is not decoration. It creates ridges that catch the brown butter. If your first attempts look ragged, they will still taste correct. Skill comes with repetition.

Advance Preparation

• •The pasta dough can be made up to 24 hours ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before rolling.
• •The filling can be prepared one day ahead and refrigerated. It handles better when cold.
• •Shaped casoncelli can sit at room temperature for up to one hour before cooking, or freeze for longer storage. Do not refrigerate shaped pasta; it becomes gummy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 210g)