Crescent-shaped Red Beet Ravioli are, hands down, the most famous dish from Cortina d’Ampezzo. They are part of this resort town’s attractions, along with the beautiful mountains and challenging ski slopes. Every mountain hut, hotel, or restaurant offers its own version, and of course, every family has their own recipe. The uniqueness of the ravioli lies mainly in the earthy and colorful filling. The pasta shell should be extra thin to allow for the flavor (and the color) of the beets to shine through.
Chef Sara Ghedina’s Memories of Casunziei Rossi (Red Beet Ravioli)
I grew up eating homemade casunziei prepared with love by both my grandmothers. As kids we would argue which of the two versions was our favorite. My brother and my cousin were often competing against each other to see who was able to eat the most, with my brother usually winning. It wasn’t difficult, really, because doused in butter, poppy seeds, and freshly grated Parmigiano, they are that good!
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Casunziei Rossi (Red Beet Ravioli)
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Casunziei Rossi are delicate crescent-shaped ravioli filled with earthy red beets and potatoes, a beloved specialty from Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 7 oz type 00 flour
- 3.5 oz semolina flour
- 3 large eggs + 1 to assemble the casunziei
- Pinch of salt
- Additional semolina flour to dust
For the filling:
- 1 lb red beets (cooked)
- 1/3 lb russet potatoes (cooked)
- 1–2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
To serve:
- 5 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 4–5 sage leaves (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
- For the filling, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cover witha steamer basket and add the beets and potatoes, unpeeled. Steam until tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. (Instead of steaming, you could also bake the beets and potatoes, wrapped individually in aluminum foil, so that they will absorb less water and the flavor will be more intense.)
- Remove from the heat and let the vegetables cool a bit. Peel and mash through a ricer. Mix them together, calculating 2/3 of the weight for the beets and 1/3 for the potatoes.
- To drain excess moisture, set the pureed mixture in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl for about 20-30 minutes.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet, add the breadcrumbs, stir and cook for two minutes until lightly toasted. Add the pureed vegetables, season with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes to absorb any remaining moisture, remove from the stove, and let cool down. The filling can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated.
- For the pasta dough, combine the flour and the semolina and mound the mixture on a board. Make a well in the center and break the eggs into it. Add a pinch of salt, then using a fork, gently break up the eggs and start to incorporate the flour a little at a time. When you’ve incorporated enough flour to form a dough, use your hands and knead until it all comes together and the dough is smooth and elastic. If it seems too dry, dip your hands in water and knead again for a minute, if it seems too wet, add a sprinkle of flour and knead to combine.
- Roll the dough into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow to rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.
- To assemble the casunziei, divide the dough into 4 or 5 equal pieces. Using a pasta machine or a rolling pin, roll each piece into a thin sheet, about 1.5 mm thickness. While rolling out each piece, make sure to keep the remaining pasta covered with a damp kitchen towel. Cut the pasta sheet into circles using a round cutter (about 3 inch diameter). Place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle of each circle, leaving the edges clear. Lightly beat an egg with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and brush the mixture on the edges of each pasta circle, fold it in half over the filling to create a crescent shape, then press down on the edges to seal well.
- Sprinkle some flour on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place finished casunziei on it. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
- To cook and serve the casunziei, bring a large pot of water to boil, and add salt as needed.
- Meanwhile, place the butter in a pan and melt it on low heat. Add the poppy seeds and sage leaves, if using, to gently toast them, making sure not to let the butter brown. Remove from heat.
- When the water is boiling, gently place the casunziei into the pot. They should float when cooked, and as they are ready scoop them out with a slotted spoon, draining as much water as possible. Lay them in the pan with the melted butter and toss to coat. Serve immediately, drizzling any remaining butter over them and sprinkling with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.
Recipes, Styling and Photography by Sara Ghedina
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