Cjarsòns di Carnia

Ingredients

• For the dough
• 300 g semola rimacinata (fine durum semolina)
• 150 ml water, warm
• 1 tsp fine salt
• For the filling
• 250 g ricotta, well-drained
• 150 g spinach, cooked, squeezed dry, finely chopped
• 40 g raisins, soaked in warm water, drained
• 30 g pine nuts
• 30 g candied citrus peel, finely chopped
• 20 g dark chocolate, finely grated
• 50 g ricotta affumicata (smoked ricotta), finely grated
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• For the dressing
• 120 g unsalted butter
• 60 g ricotta affumicata (smoked ricotta), finely grated, to finish
• 1 tsp elderflower vinegar (aceto di sambuco), or elderflower syrup reduced by half with white wine vinegar; or a drop of balsamic diluted with white wine vinegar

Method

1. 1
   Combine the semola and salt in a bowl. Add the warm water gradually, mixing until a firm, cohesive dough forms. Turn onto a work surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap tightly and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. The dough is ready when it springs back slowly under a fingertip.
2. 2
   Combine the drained ricotta, chopped spinach, raisins, pine nuts, candied citrus peel, grated chocolate, grated ricotta affumicata, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until uniform. Taste: the filling must read as savoury and complex, with the chocolate, raisin, and cinnamon present but not dominant — the ricotta and spinach must hold the ground. Refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight, before using.
3. 3
   This is where the dish lives or dies. Roll the rested dough to 2 mm thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut rounds of approximately 8 cm diameter. Place a scant teaspoon of filling at the centre of each round. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon, pressing firmly from the centre outward to expel all air. Seal the edge by pinching hard between thumb and forefinger with no gaps. A correctly sealed cjarsòn holds its shape under gentle pressure without any filling visible at the seam.
4. 4
   Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a full rolling boil. Lower the cjarsòns in batches — do not crowd. Cook until the pasta is just tender and the edges are set but the pasta has not begun to tear, approximately 3–4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and hold briefly on a warm plate.
5. 5
   Melt the butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling regularly, until the milk solids turn a deep golden brown and the kitchen carries a distinct hazelnut scent. Remove from heat immediately — the butter must not pass from hazelnut-brown to acrid. Pour over the cooked cjarsòns.
6. 6
   Divide the cjarsòns among warmed plates. Spoon the browned butter over each portion. Grate ricotta affumicata generously over the top and finish with a single drizzle of elderflower vinegar. Serve at once — the dish is complete when the smoke of the grated ricotta rises with the warmth of the butter.