Today, we take a trip to Lombardy. Casoncelli alla Bergamasca is a typical Lombard recipe with many variations depending on where it is prepared.

Casoncelli alla Bergamasca are rich in filling and are first closed in a half-moon shape and then pressed almost into a candy shape.

Full of flavor, Casoncelli alla Bergamasca are prepared with meat, sausage paste, pears, and amaretti, and believe me, they will be a hit.

If you’ve never made them, it’s time to do so. They will be perfect for Christmas lunch or New Year’s Eve and allow you to make them in advance and cook them just before serving.

The perfect dressing? Butter and sage!! This way, you won’t cover the flavors enclosed in this delicious fresh pasta.

If you love stuffed pasta, you cannot miss making homemade tortellini, and if you are looking for ideas for Christmas first courses, discover many delicious recipes.

Below, I leave you other recipes for stuffed fresh pasta, and then right after the photo, we’ll discover how to prepare Casoncelli alla Bergamasca!!

Difficulty: Medium
Cost: Economical
Preparation time: 2 Hours
Portions: 6
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons

Ingredients for Casoncelli alla Bergamasca

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina
1 egg (large)
1/4 cup water (approximately)
5 oz sausage meat
3 1/2 oz beef (roasted)
1 Abate pear
1 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Grana Padano cheese, grated
1 egg (small)
1/4 cup raisins
1 oz amaretti
1 clove garlic
1 tsp chopped parsley
to taste lemon zest
2 pinches salt
1 pinch black pepper
to taste nutmeg
to taste ground cinnamon

Tools

2 Bowls
1 Pasta Machine
1 Pastry Cutter round 2 1/2 inches
1 Pot

Preparation

To prepare the Casoncelli alla Bergamasca, place the 2 types of flour in a bowl and mix them with a fork.
Add the egg and start kneading by adding water little by little.
Once you’ve obtained a smooth and compact mixture, work it on a surface forming a ball.
Let it rest covered with a cloth for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Peel the pear, remove the core, and cut it into small cubes.
Saute it in a pan with a little oil for 3 or 4 minutes and let it cool.
Pass the sausage meat through a meat grinder, collecting it in a bowl, then do the same with the roasted beef cut into pieces.
Finely chop parsley, garlic, and raisins and incorporate them into the meats in the bowl, mixing.
Finally, crumble the amaretti and add them to the bowl with the filling along with breadcrumbs, the egg, grated cheese, raisins, and the now cool pears.
Season with lemon zest, salt, and pepper, and add the nutmeg. Knead with your hands to combine all the flavors.
Now you have everything ready, so take the egg pasta and, with the help of the pasta machine, roll it out into a thin sheet, 1/4 inch.
Using a round pastry cutter of 2 1/2 inches, cut out many discs. Knead the leftover pasta and cut out more discs.
With your hands, take a small ball of filling (about 1/4 oz) and place it in the center of each pasta disc.
Moisten the edges and close into a half-moon shape with slight pressure.
Turn the casoncelli over and make a slight pressure with your finger
Stretch the closures at the sides to form a candy shape.
As you prepare them, arrange them on a dry kitchen cloth, dusting them with a little semolina.
Cook the casoncelli in plenty of slightly salted water for 5 or 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt some butter in a pan adding a few washed and dried sage leaves.
Drain the Casoncelli alla Bergamasca into the pan, letting them season for a few minutes before serving.
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