150-200 gr farina
sale
quanto basta latte o acqua
3 barbabietole rosse piccole e cotte, sbucciate, grattugiate e scolate per bene
2 patate piccoli lessi con la buccia, sbucciati e schiacciati
sale
a scelta : cannella, noce moscata, pochissimo aglio o erba cipollina
ingredienti per il condimento/salsa :
Grana Padano grattugiato
semi di papavero scaldate nella padella - facoltativo
Reteta de casunziei este tipica din zona muntilor Dolomiti ( nord estul italiei) in special provinciile Belluno, Vicenza si Verona. Sunt niste ravioli in forma de semiluna umpluti dupa caz cu sfecla rosie si atunci se numesc Casunziei rossi ( adica rosii) sau cu spanac sau alte ierburi si atunci se numesc Casunziei verdi ( adica verzi). Exista si alte variante cu umplutura cu adaos de ricotta la sfecla si cartof, sau cu gulii in loc de cartof ( aceasta pare a fi cea mai veche dintre toate ), de dovleac sau din diferite radacinoase. Ca orice reteta traditionala deci din bucataria taraneasca, populara are multe variante si aproape fiecare sat sau familie are reteta proprie mai mult sau mai putin identica cu cea asa zis originala.
Exista reteta de Casunziei all'ampezzana o reteta originara din Cortina d'Ampezzo inca de pe vremea cind aceasta faimoasa si foarte eleganta localitate montana nu era atit de faimoasa in lume. Acesti casunziei rosii se servesc cu mac. Desi chiar si acestia au variantele lor in functie de bucataria familiei: italiana sau germana. Deci in umplutura poate aparea usturoi sau iarba ciorii sau scortisoara sau nucsoara daca e o reteta din bucataria cu influenta germana.
Condimentul cu care sunt serviti este in general unt topit ( nu ii prajiti in unt ci ii amestecati cu unt topit ) si brinza rasa Grana Padano. In varianta "all'ampezzana" la aceste doua ingrediente se adauga si putin mac (seminte) care au fost mai intii prajite (fara grasime!!) intr-o tigaie.
In ajunul Craciunului se servesc cu mac si miere.
ingrediente umplutura :
3 bucati de sflecla rosie micute gata fierte sau coapte si curatate
2 cartofi mai mici sau unul mare
sare
la alegere: scortisoara, nucsoara, usturoi foarte putin sau iarba ciorii ..
ingrediente pasta :
1 ou
150-200 gr faina alba de prajituri
sare
la alegere apa sau lapte eu am pus insa cu lingura iaurt de baut atit cit a fost nevoie
putina faina pentru intins foaia
unt
Grana Padano ras (sau alt cascaval)
seminte de mac prajite ( fara grasime!! )- optional
Am amestecat ingrediente si am framintat un aluat pe care l-am lasat acoperit cu o cratita cu fundul in sus cel putin 30 minute.
Intre timp am fiert cartofii in coaja, i-am curatat si cind erau inca calduti i-am strivit cu ustensila pentru piure.
Am ras pe razatoarea mica sfecla rosie si am pus-o intr-i strecuratoare sa se scurga zeama in exces, nu era nevoie sa fac asta daca foloseam sfecla coapta in cuptor.
Am pregatit umplutura.
Am intins o foaie din aluatul de mai sus, destul de subtire asa cum trebuie pentru pastele umplute.Din care am taiat cercuri. Marginile ramase le-am framintat din nou si iar le-am intins si am mai taiat alte cercuri. Dar puteti sa le pastrati asa, eventual mai taiati putin bucatile prea mari si aceasta pasta poate fi folosita ca orice alta pasta condimentata dupa gust sau adaugata in pasta e fagioli ( pasta cu fasole ) sau cu naut
Am pus pe fiecare cerc cite o lingurita de umplutura si am indoit in semicerc, am apasat in jurul umpluturii ca sa iasa aerul si am apasat marginile ca sa se lipeasca ( daca pasta e prea uscata si nu se lipeste umeziti marginea interna ). Apoi am unit in diferite moduri ca voi sa va alegeti cel care va place mai mult : cu dintii unei furculite, varianta clasica si cea mai des folosita mai ales de gospodinele incepatoare sau ciupind pasta pe deasupra sau pe dedesubt formind astfel o margine mai frumoasa.
Forma clasica traditionala este cea de semiluna /semicerc insa puteti sa taiati patrate si sa uniti sub forma de triunghi sau sa intindeti o foaie punei ici si colo umplutura asezati deasupra o alta foaie, apasati cu latul palmei pe marginea umpluturii si apoi dupa ce cele doua foi sunt unite taiati cu roata ondulata sau cu o forma patrata sau alta forma dupa gustul vostru.
Am pus oala cu apa la fiert si cind a inceput sa clocoteasca am adaugat sarea si am dat focul la minim. Am varsat casunziei in apa , amestecat cu grija sa nu se lipeasca de fundul oalei, apa trebuie sa fie multa ca pentru orice pasta. Am lasat sa fiarba pina cind s-au rdicat la suprafata, daca se ridica chiar imediat adica dupa ce i-ati rasturnat in apa nu stau macar citeva secunde pe fundul oalei e semn ca ati lasat aer in jurul umpluturii in interiorul pastei deci logic nu ii scoateti chiar imediat din apa. Macar 20 secunde(minim) ar trebui sa stea in apa la fundul oalei pina sa se ridice la suprafata .
In timp ce casunziei fierb intr-o tigaie pe alta flacara a aragazului puneti putin unt la topit, nu la prajit. Cind untul la foc mic s-a topit tragem tigaia / stingem focul si adaugam in acest unt pasta scoasa cu paleta gaurita , nu este indicat sa scurgeti pasta in strecuratoare caci riscati sa o rupeti.. ideala ar fi oala speciala de fiert paste care are un cos gaurit in interior si cind il ridicati apa se scurge iar pasta ramine in interior.
Amestecati pasta cu untul topit, serviti in farfurie, adaugati Grana rasa si daca ati ales varianta all'ampezzana si macul ( incalzit, prajit fara grasime intr-o tigaie separat).
The recipe for casunziei is typical of the Dolomite mountain area (northeast Italy), especially the provinces of Belluno, Vicenza, and Verona. They are half-moon–shaped ravioli filled either with red beetroot, in which case they are called Casunziei rossi (“red”), or with spinach or other greens, in which case they are called Casunziei verdi (“green”). There are other variations with fillings that include ricotta added to beetroot and potatoes, or kohlrabi instead of potatoes (this seems to be the oldest version of all), or pumpkin, or various root vegetables. As with any traditional countryside recipe, there are many versions, and almost every village or family has its own recipe that is more or less similar to the so-called original one.
There is also the recipe for Casunziei all’ampezzana, originally from Cortina d’Ampezzo, dating back to when this famous and elegant mountain town was not yet so well-known worldwide. These red casunziei are served with poppy seeds. Even these have their own variations based on the family’s cuisine—Italian or German—so the filling may include garlic, chives, cinnamon, or nutmeg if the recipe is influenced by German cooking.
They are generally served with melted butter (you do not fry them in butter; you simply mix them with melted butter) and grated Grana Padano. In the “all’ampezzana” version, a bit of poppy seeds is added to these two ingredients—the seeds must first be toasted in a pan without any fat. On Christmas Eve they are served with poppy seeds and honey.
Filling ingredients:
3 small cooked or roasted and peeled beetroots
2 small potatoes or one large one
salt
optional: cinnamon, nutmeg, a little garlic, or chives
Pasta ingredients:
1 egg
150–200 g plain wheat flour
salt
optionally water or milk (I used drinking yogurt, adding as much as needed)
a little flour for rolling out the dough
butter
grated Grana Padano (or another cheese)
toasted poppy seeds (toast them without fat)—optional
I mixed all the ingredients and kneaded a dough, which I left covered (with an upside-down pot) for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, I boiled the potatoes in their skins, peeled them, and mashed them while still warm. I finely grated the beetroot and placed it in a strainer to drain excess liquid—this step isn’t necessary if you use oven-roasted beets.
I prepared the filling.
I rolled out a thin sheet of dough, as required for filled pasta, and cut circles from it. I kneaded and rolled out the leftover scraps again to cut more circles. Alternatively, you can keep the scraps and use them as regular pasta, seasoning them as you like or adding them to pasta e fagioli or chickpea soup.
I placed one teaspoon of filling on each circle, folded it into a half-moon, pressed around the filling to remove air, and sealed the edges (if the dough is too dry and doesn’t stick, moisten the inner edge). Then I shaped the edges in different ways so you can choose what you prefer: with a fork (the classic and most widely used method, especially by beginners), or by pinching the dough over or under to create a prettier edge. The traditional shape is the half-moon, but you can also cut squares and fold them into triangles, or place dollops of filling onto a sheet of dough, cover with another sheet, press around the filling, and cut with a fluted cutter or mold.
I brought a pot of water to a boil, added salt, lowered the heat, and dropped the casunziei into the water, stirring gently so they wouldn’t stick to the bottom. The water should be abundant, as for any pasta. I let them cook until they rose to the surface. If they float immediately, without staying at the bottom for at least a few seconds, it means you left air around the filling inside the pasta—so do not remove them right away; they should stay in the water for at least 20 seconds before rising to the top.
While the casunziei were cooking, I melted some butter in a pan over low heat (do not brown it). When melted, I removed the pan from the heat and added the pasta directly from the pot using a slotted spoon. It is not recommended to drain them in a colander because they might tear. Ideally, you would use a pasta pot with an inner perforated insert.
I mixed the pasta with the melted butter, served it on plates, added grated Grana, and—if using the all’ampezzana version—sprinkled with warm toasted poppy seeds.
