Casoncelli alla Bresciana
Casoncelli pasta is typically eaten in the central and northeastern regions of Italy. Simple and amazing ingredients are the key to this timeless recipe.
For the pasta dough:
• 80g 00 flour
• 2 whole eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• Pinch of salt
For the filling:
• Ground nutmeg to taste
• Salt to taste
• 5g sage, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 150g breadcrumbs
• 100g Grana Padano, grated
• 100 ml vegetable stock
• 100g butter
• Parsley, chopped
For the sauce:
• 60g Grana Padano
• 60g butter
• 6g sage leaves
1. Mix the ingredients together to form dough. It is good to prepare the pasta dough a few hours beforehand to give it enough time to rest, so that it is no longer elastic and has developed a more extendible structure. This will make it easier to roll out later and the pasta will hold its shape and consistency better for a more pleasing bite.
2. Place the brown butter and garlic in a pan, then add the parsley, sage, breadcrumbs, Grana Padano, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
3. Stir in the stock to obtain a soft, thick mixture.
4. Roll out the pasta dough thinly and cut into 6cm x 6cm squares.
5. Stuff with the filling and pinch each of the ravioli closed with your fingers. Tip: it is best to use ordinary Italian-style bread for the crumbs, without a particularly thick or browned crust. The bread is the base of the filling and its neutral flavour is fundamental for enhancing the other flavours in this recipe.
6. Make the sauce: in a separate pan, melt the butter before stirring in sage and letting the flavour infuse over a low heat until lightly browned. It is essential you don’t burn the butter. Apart from being better for your health, it retains characteristic flavours – for a more intense flavour use clarified butter, which is more aromatic and has a rich straw colour.
7. Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water. When cooked, drain well and top with hot butter sauce and grated Grana Padano. Garnish with crispy sage leaves if desired.