Today we take a trip to Lombardy, the Casoncelli from Bergamo are a typical Lombard recipe with many variations depending on where they’re prepared.

The Casoncelli from Bergamo have a very rich filling and are folded first into a half-moon and then pinched almost to form a candy shape.

They are full of flavor: the Casoncelli from Bergamo are made with meat, salami paste, pears and amaretti and, believe me, they’ll be snapped up.

If you’ve never made them before, now is the time — they’ll be perfect for Christmas lunch or New Year’s Eve and can be prepared in advance and cooked shortly before serving.

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

If you love filled pasta you can’t miss trying to make tortellini at home and if you’re looking for ideas for Christmas first courses discover many tasty recipes.

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

Difficulty: Medium
Cost: Economical
Preparation time: 2 Hours
Cooking time: 10 Minutes
Portions: 6
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons

Ingredients for Casoncelli from Bergamo

1 1/2 cups 00 flour
2.5 oz fine durum semolina
1 egg (large)
1/4 cup water (approximately)
5.3 oz salami paste
3.5 oz beef (roast)
1 Abate pear
1 cup bread crumbs
2.5 oz grated Grana Padano
1 egg (small)
3 tbsp raisins
1 oz amaretti cookies
1 clove garlic
1 tsp minced 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 Round cutter round, 2 3/8 in
1 Pot

Preparation

To prepare the Casoncelli from Bergamo, place the two flours in a bowl and mix them with a fork.
Add the egg and begin kneading, adding the water little by little.
Once you have a smooth, compact dough, work it on a surface and shape it into a ball.
Let it rest covered with a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling: peel the pear, remove the core and cut it into small cubes.
Sauté it in a pan with a very little oil for 3 or 4 minutes and let it cool.
Pass the salami paste through a meat grinder into a bowl, then pass the roast beef cut into pieces as well.
Finely chop the parsley, garlic and raisins and incorporate them into the meats in the bowl, mixing well.
Finally, crumble the amaretti and add them to the bowl with the filling together with the breadcrumbs, the egg, the grated cheese, the raisins and the now-cooled pears.
Season with lemon zest, salt and pepper and add nutmeg; knead with your hands to blend all the flavors.
Now everything is ready: take the egg pasta and, using the pasta machine, roll it into a thin sheet about 3/16–1/4 inch thick.
Use a round cutter (about 2 3/8 in) to cut many discs. Re-knead the scraps and cut more discs.
With your hands take a small ball of filling (about 1/4 oz, roughly 1/2 tablespoon) and place it in the center of each pasta disc.
Moisten the edges and fold into a half-moon, pressing lightly.
Turn the casoncelli over and press lightly with your finger.
Extend the seals at the sides so they resemble a candy wrapper.
As you prepare them, place them on a dry kitchen towel and sprinkle with a very small amount of fine durum semolina to prevent sticking.
Cook the casoncelli in plenty of lightly salted water for 5 or 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt some butter in a pan and add a few washed and dried sage leaves.
Drain the Bergamo casoncelli into the pan and let them absorb the butter and sage for a few minutes before serving.