I wanted to recreate a classic recipe from Ladin cuisine, the Ladin Ravioli Cajincì te ega – cancì. A classic mountain recipe.
A recipe from Trentino that borders my Veneto, and whenever I can, I escape to fill my eyes and spirit with the woods, valleys, and peaks of Trentino.
I want to propose a dish from Ladin cuisine, which can also be found in the article I wrote precisely for the tour: Ladin cuisine of the valleys and refuges, I invite you to read if you want to know the stories, traditions, and typical dishes of the five Ladin valleys.
As my first Ladin recipe, I chose these Ladin Ravioli Cajincì te ega – cancì, just like Tyrolean half-moons.
I intentionally did not want to change anything from the original recipe of cajinci te ega, we are talking about mountain history and tradition, so this was the recipe, and so I pass it on to you.
From my research, I also found a vegan variant that I will try soon: preparing an eggless pastry, removing the butter from the dough, and replacing the final grated cheese and melted butter with poppy seeds blended with a little cane sugar.
The most important feature of these Ladin Ravioli Cajincì te ega – cancì is precisely the rye flour used in the ravioli dough.
Rye is an ancient grain that should be re-evaluated. Naturally, you should always choose certified organic stone-ground rye flour. The main characteristic of rye is that it contains less gluten than wheat, is rich in lysine, and is rich in pentosans, which are very important substances for our health. Additionally, rye flour has a low glycemic index, rich in fibers that keep us satiated for a long time.
Rye contains minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, copper, manganese, and iron. Vitamins PP, E, B5, B1, B6. And with this wonderful flour, these Ladin ravioli are made.
I leave you some other ravioli recipes that might interest you:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Trentino-Alto Adige
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Type 2 flour
- 1 cup rye flour (organic)
- 1.7 fl oz water (warm)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 5 oz baby spinach (steamed)
- 3.5 oz ricotta cheese (from alpine pastures)
- 1.8 oz shallot
- 1 tablespoon butter (from alpine pastures)
- 1 tablespoon chives
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 to taste pepper
- 1 tablespoon cheese (trentingrana)
- 1 tablespoon butter (melted)
- 1 pinch poppy seeds
Preparation
Naturally, the hand-rolled pasta dough is exceptional, but given the always tight times, an excellent alternative is the pasta machine, called nonna papera.
First, sift together the rye flour with Type 2 flour and a pinch of salt.On a work surface, pour the flour and make the usual well where you will gradually add the egg and a little water, mixing well with a fork. Then use your hands, adding water little by little until you have a smooth and homogeneous dough.
Place the pasta in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature for about half an hour.
In the meantime, prepare the filling: Sauté the steamed spinach in a pan with a little chopped shallot. Turn off the heat, and after a few minutes, add the ricotta, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and chives. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.
Take the dough again, cut it into pieces, leaving the rest covered. Roll it out first with a rolling pin, dusting a little flour, and then pass it through the pasta machine until you get the desired thickness. Do this little by little, spreading out the strips, and with a round pastry cutter of 3 inches, cut out many circles.
Take the filling and put a teaspoon in the center of each circle, and fold it into a half-moon, pressing well to seal the edges.
Boil some water, salt it, and drop in the Ladin half-moons, draining them after five minutes; the cooking time depends on how thin the pasta is.
Sprinkle with parmesan and serve them with melted alpine butter and poppy seeds.
Advice
Do not let the fresh pasta circles for filling dry out; if it happens, brush a little water on the circumference where it needs to be sealed, so it seals well again.
