Casoncelli Bergamo Butter Pasta

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Casoncelli are the signature stuffed pasta of Bergamo in Lombardy, traditionally filled with a sweet-savory mix of soaked breadcrumbs, crushed amaretti cookies, and aged Grana Padano. They are tossed simply in nutty browned butter with crispy pancetta and crisp sage leaves so the delicate filling stays the star. The result is a refined yet rustic plate that captures the home cooking of northern Italy in every bite.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 640 kcalCalories
• 30 gFat
• 14 gSaturated Fat
• 64 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 5 gSugar
• 25 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 310 mgPotassium
• 290 mgCalcium
• 3.6 mgIron
• 2 mgVitamin C
• 210 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the fresh egg pasta dough

• 300 g (about 2 1/2 cups) tipo 00 flour, plus more for dusting
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the amaretti-breadcrumb filling

• 100 g (about 1 cup) coarse stale breadcrumbs
• 120 ml warm whole milk
• 80 g Grana Padano, finely grated
• 50 g amaretti cookies, finely crushed
• 1 large egg
• 40 g pancetta, finely diced and lightly browned
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the brown butter, pancetta and sage sauce

• 90 g unsalted butter
• 80 g pancetta, cut into small lardons
• 10 fresh sage leaves
• 60 g Grana Padano, freshly grated
• Cracked black pepper, to finish

Directions

1. Mound the flour on a clean surface and make a wide well in the center. Add the eggs, yolk, olive oil, and salt into the well. Using a fork, gradually draw in the flour from the inside walls, then switch to your hands and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Wrap in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. While the dough rests, prepare the filling: pour the warm milk over the breadcrumbs in a bowl and let soak for 5 minutes, then squeeze out and discard any excess milk. Stir in the grated Grana Padano, crushed amaretti, egg, browned pancetta, parsley, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until a soft, uniform paste forms.
3. Cut the rested dough into 4 pieces and keep the unused portions covered. Roll one piece on a lightly floured surface (or through a pasta machine) into a thin sheet about 2 mm thick and roughly 12 cm wide. Place heaping teaspoons of filling about 4 cm apart along one half of the sheet. Brush the dough around the filling lightly with water, fold the empty side over the filling, press firmly around each mound to seal out air, then cut into half-moon shapes. Press and crimp the curved edges with a fork. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
4. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a gentle boil. While the water heats, prepare the sauce: melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the fat renders and the lardons turn golden and crisp. Add the sage leaves and continue cooking until the butter turns a deep amber and smells nutty, about 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat.
5. Drop the casoncelli into the simmering water in batches and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until they float to the surface and the pasta is just tender. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and transfer directly into the skillet with the brown butter, pancetta, and sage.
6. Set the skillet over very low heat and gently toss the casoncelli for about 30 seconds so they are evenly coated and warmed through. Add a small splash of the pasta cooking water if the sauce looks tight.
7. Divide the casoncelli among warm plates, spooning any extra butter, pancetta, and sage over the top. Finish with the grated Grana Padano and a generous crack of black pepper, and serve immediately.

Cook’s Notes

• Resting the dough is non-negotiable: it relaxes the gluten so you can roll the sheets paper-thin without snapping.
• Do not overfill the casoncelli or they will burst in the water; keep each mound under a heaping teaspoon.
• Watch the butter closely once it foams; it goes from golden to burnt in under a minute. Pull the pan off the heat as soon as it smells toasted and nutty.
• A splash of dry white wine added to the pan just before tossing the pasta brightens the rich butter sauce.
• If you cannot find amaretti, substitute with crisp biscotti or a tablespoon of almond meal plus a pinch of sugar.

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