Casoncelli alla Bergamasca

Ingredients

• For the sfoglia
• 300 g plain flour ("00")
• 3 eggs
• For the filling
• 250 g minced beef and/or pork, combined
• 60 g bread, crusts removed, soaked in broth and squeezed dry (pane ammollato)
• 50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
• 40 g raisins, soaked in grappa or Marsala until plump, then drained
• 30 g amaretti biscuits, crushed
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 60 g pear or quince, peeled and finely chopped (optional, per family tradition)
• 100 ml meat broth, for soaking the bread
• For the sauce
• 100 g pancetta, cut into small lardons
• 80 g unsalted butter
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• To finish
• 40 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated, to serve

Method

1. 1
   Soak the raisins in grappa or Marsala until plump. Soak the bread in warm broth, then squeeze it thoroughly dry. In a pan over medium heat, sauté the minced meat with the garlic and parsley until the meat is cooked through and any liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Combine the cooked meat, squeezed bread, grated Parmigiano, drained raisins, crushed amaretti, and pear or quince if using. The filling is ready when it is cohesive, holds its shape when pressed, and carries no excess moisture; if it feels loose, work in additional breadcrumbs until it binds.
2. 2
   Work the flour and eggs together into a smooth, elastic dough. Rest under a bowl for 30 minutes, then roll the sfoglia thin — the pasta sheet should be just translucent when held to the light. Cut circles of 7–8 cm diameter.
3. 3
   This is where the dish lives or dies. Place a generous mound of filling off-centre on each circle. Fold the pasta over into a half-moon and press the edges firmly, expelling all air from around the filling. Crimp the sealed rim with a decorative pleat, working along the curve. Each parcel must be airtight: press each seal again and look for any gap or thin spot that would open in the water. A casoncello that opens loses its filling and cannot be recovered.
4. 4
   Place the pancetta lardons in a cold pan and set over medium heat. Render slowly for 8–10 minutes until the fat is completely liquid and the meat is crunchy. Add the butter to the pan and, once foaming, fry the sage leaves until crisp. The sauce is ready when the pancetta is audibly crisp and the sage has gone still in the fat.
5. 5
   Cook the casoncelli in generously salted boiling water for 4–5 minutes. They are ready when they float and the pasta at the sealed edge yields to gentle pressure without resistance.
6. 6
   Drain the casoncelli and transfer directly to warmed plates. Spoon over the rendered pancetta fat, the crispy pancetta pieces, and the fried sage. Finish with a generous grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve immediately, while the pancetta remains audibly crisp.