THE homemade cappelletti, delicious egg pasta caskets with a soft and tasty filling, ideal on cold winter days together with a full-bodied beef or chicken broth, but delicious even during milder periods, accompanied by meat sauce or with a simple butter sauce and sage. The term “cappelletti” derives from the shape of this pasta, which recalls the traditional one hat worn by peasantsthe galoza. Many provinces of Emilia Romagna and Marche offer their version of cappelletti; it can even vary from family to family! From the choice of meat to the quantity of eggs and Parmesan, the cappelletti recipes are numerous. In some cities, such as Ferrara, they are also offered with pumpkin filling and dressed with meat sauce, or stuffed with meat and cheeses. We have chosen to offer you our version, with pork, beef and chicken. A light version and delicious, perfect for the winter!

For the filling of the cappelletti

1

The preparation of cappelletti starts with the filling. Peel the golden onion and carrot, chop them with a knife or a crescent.

2

In a thick-bottomed saucepan or pan, pour the 40 g of extra virgin olive oil and heat over low heat. After about 2 minutes, add the onion and carrot sauce and cook for about 5 minutes, leaving the heat low.

3

Add the minced pork, beef and chicken, and with a wooden ladle shell it well, then cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.

4

Add the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Then add the salt and pepper

5

Stir thoroughly and then turn off the heat. Transfer the meat to a bowl and let it cool. Once cold, add a pinch of nutmeg and grated Parmesan.

6

Mix the ingredients and transfer everything to a mixer or food processor. Add the egg.

7

Blend well until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.

For the egg pasta

1

Place the flour on a wooden or steel surface. Add the eggs in the center.

2

With a fork, beat the eggs, gradually mixing them with the flour, starting from the center.

3

When the eggs and flour are well blended, proceed to knead by hand. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and homogeneous.

4

Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

For the cappelletti

1

Dust the work surface with very little flour. Take a piece of the previously prepared dough and roll it out with a rolling pin or pasta machine until it reaches a thickness of 3mm. Take a piece of pasta.

2

With a 5 cm diameter pastry cutter, cut discs from the strips of dough.

3

Place a teaspoon of filling on each disc.

4

Close the disc in half, forming a crescent. Then take the two ends and close by folding the two corners, pressing well to make them adhere.

5

Arrange the cappelletti on a lightly floured tray until ready to cook.

Accessories

• Mixer, blender or food processor
• 5 cm diameter pastry cutter
• Rolling pin or pasta machine

Tips and hints

Traditionally, the cappelletti pasta it should be rolled out with a rolling pin. If, however, you prefer to use the pasta machine, thin the dough to measure n ° 3.

You can change the meat of the filling at will, using the one you prefer, keeping the same doses.

If the pasta, once cut with the pastry cutter, should start to dry out, brush it with a drop of water.

You can prepare the cappelletti and then freeze them: place the cappelletti on a paper tray, far from each other, and place them in the freezer for about half an hour. The process is to prevent them from sticking together. Once hardened you can freeze them in the special freezer bags, already portioned, to use them as needed. At the time of use, add them to boiling salted water or still frozen broth.

History

The origin of the cappelletti is divided between three major Italian regions: Emilia Romagna, Marche and Umbria. Other historical sources indicate, as the place of origin, the cities of Cesena, Ferrara and Reggio Emilia. It is probable that the first recipes of cappelletti were invented as early as the 13th century AD, but they are historically attested around the mid-sixteenth centurywhen they were adopted by the cooks of aristocratic families in central Italy.

The presence of the cappelletti during the sixteenth century is certain in particular of the Este family, where the chefs Bartolomeo Scappi and Cristoforo di Messisbugo lived, among the first to have handed down their recipe for cappelletti. In 1891 the writer and gastronome Pellegrino Artusifrom Romagna, wrote the most famous collection of recipes of the twentieth century, Science in the kitchen and the art of eating well: here he collected seven different recipes for the cappelletti filling, specifying that the “classic” version included ricotta, egg, parmesan, pepper, salt, lemon zest and nutmeg, while the “alternative” versions include meat such as pork loin or capon .

Cappelletti should not be confused with tortellini! The difference between cappelletti and tortellini is in the filling and shape: the tortellini are closed around the little finger or index finger, while the cappelletto is closed by simply joining the two ends of the crescent or triangle.