Corzetti from Liguria or croxetti are an ancient egg pasta shape, small discs “stamped” or “imprinted” with what used to be the heraldic emblem of the house or family to emphasize their importance. To make Corzetti from Liguria, you need a small wooden stamp easily available online, but if you are in Liguria, especially on the Riviera di Levante, you will find artisans ready to make a customized one for you. To represent “my house,” I chose the lily, which couldn’t be otherwise for me, a Giuliese adopted Florentine. Besides being beautiful to look at, these embroidered discs are also particularly tasty: they can be dressed with the classic Genoese pesto, walnut sauce, red pesto with sun-dried tomatoes, marjoram and toasted pine nut pesto, traditional or white ragù, or even a simple tomato sauce because they are known for holding any sauce well.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 2 people
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Energy 553.26 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 111.72 (g) of which sugars 1.53 (g)
- Proteins 18.07 (g)
- Fat 5.49 (g) of which saturated 1.81 (g)of which unsaturated 3.59 (g)
- Fibers 19.65 (g)
- Sodium 46.92 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 220 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
These quantities yield approximately 14 oz of pasta.
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1.7 oz white wine
- 1.7 oz water (warm)
- 1 egg
Tools
- 1 Stamp for corzetti
- 1 Rolling Pin adjustable
Steps
Place the flour in a mound on the countertop, create a crater in the center and break the egg into it, then add the wine and warm water. Knead with your hands, working the dough until it is smooth and homogeneous. Cover it with a clean dishcloth and let it rest for thirty minutes.
After the resting time, lightly flour the work surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin: I used a rolling pin with adjustable thickness, setting it to 1/8 inch to obtain a precise and even sheet. With the hollow part of the stamp, cut all the discs, then turn the stamp and place the discs, one at a time, on the part with the spiral.
Using the stamp’s “press,” imprint the design on each disc: you will have the chosen emblem on one side and the spiral on the other.
When all the discs are “stamped,” you can cook them in salted boiling water for 7-10 minutes and dress them as you like.
Curiosities
The stamp is made of wood, usually pear, apple, beech, or olive, a neutral wood because it should not release odors or flavors into the pasta. It consists of two parts: the hollow lower part used for cutting the pasta and the upper stamp-shaped part that imprints the design. There are many designs that characterize this pasta shape, and they can be personalized: for example, the idea of stamps with the initials of the bride and groom used as wedding favors is very beautiful.
The history of pasta in Liguria is linked to the Genoese’s skilled ability as navigators and merchants who made cereal trade a strength. To explore the topic further, if like me you’re passionate and curious, I recommend reading “The Pasta in Liguria” by Sergio Rossi” from Sagep Editori.
