Casoncelli Pasta With Pancetta Sage Brown Butter Sauce Recipe
This homemade Casoncelli Pasta With Pancetta Brown Butter Sage Sauce recipe is the ultimate weekend project. These candy wrapper shapes are filled with a sweet-salty combination of pears, amaretti, and sausage then tossed in a pancetta brown butter sauce that is decadent and delicious.
Make The Egg Pasta Dough: Combine the 00 flour and the semolina, and a pinch of salt in a Food Processor fit with an “S” blade and run on high until the flours are well combined. With the food processor running, pour in the eggs (make sure they’re well beaten) and run until the dough comes together into a ball. Turn the pasta dough onto a floured surface and knead it for 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes before using. TIP: Dough can be made up to one week ahead. Store wrapped in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
Make The Sausage And Pear Filling: Meanwhile, make the pasta filling. Combine the sausage and turkey meat in a medium nonstick pan over medium high heat and cook, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon, until the meat is cooked through. Set aside to cool briefly. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, place it in the bowl of a 14-cup food processor fit with an “S” blade and add in all the remaining filling ingredients. Run the food processor on high until the mixture is well combined and all the ingredients are the same size.TIP: The meat can be cooked up to 2 days ahead. Store refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.
Form The Candy Wrapper Pasta: When it comes to the pasta, you have two options for how to roll it out -- by machine or by hand. If you're going to make pasta often, consider investing in a classic Imperia Pasta Machine (or even get the KitchenAid Pasta Attachment for your stand mixer) and then follow the instructions here. However, you can also roll it out by hand with the help of a rolling pin or even a wine bottle. For tips on that, watch this video by Chef Evan Funke.Secure a tabletop pasta machine to a counter or fit the Pasta Roller attachment onto the KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Cut dough into six pieces (they need to fit in the Pasta Roller), then press each piece into a rectangle shape. Cover the parts you aren't using with a kitchen towel so they don't dry out. Pull the roller adjustment knob straight out and turn to setting 1. Release the knob, making sure the pin on the roller housing engages the opening on the back of the adjustment knob, allowing the knob to fit flush against the roller housing.Turn Stand Mixer to speed 2. Feed flattened lightly floured dough into rollers to knead. Fold dough in thirds, flatten, lightly flour, and roll again. Repeat until the dough is smooth and pliable and covers the width of the roller. Lightly dust pasta with flour while rolling and cutting to aid in drying and separation.Feed dough through rollers to further flatten the sheet of dough. Change the roller to setting 3, and repeat the rolling process. Continue to increase roller setting until you reach setting 8. Do not fold the dough during this step. Cut dough as needed to make it wieldy. Once all dough is rolled to setting 8, trim all the dough into 4-inch by 3-inch rectangles, lightly flouring as you go and discarding the scraps. When you have all the dough trimmed, arrange a few pasta rectangles on a lightly floured work surface and brush off any excess flour. Add rounded 1/4 teaspoon of the filling to the center of one of the shorter ends of the dough. With a pastry brush dipped in water, brush a little water on the edges of the pasta. Starting at the end with the filling, roll the pasta into a cylinder. Then press down on either side of the pasta filling to seal the pasta. Pinch the sides, so you make the pasta into the shape of a candy wrapper. Place filled pasta on a lightly floured cutting board or a lightly floured rimmed baking sheet and set aside while you repeat with all the remaining dough. Let pasta shapes dry at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using. TIP: Pasta can be made up to one month ahead. Store wrapped in the freezer until ready to use then cook the frozen pasta (don't let it thaw) in boiling water
Make The Pancetta Sage Brown Butter Sauce: Meanwhile, place the pancetta in a 3.3-quart nonstick pan and cook on medium-high heat until the pancetta is crisp and browned. Remove pancetta from the pan and place it on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat drippings and return the pan to the stove over medium-high heat. Add sage leaves to the pan and cook until crisp. Remove pancetta from the pan and place it on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.Add butter to drippings in the pan, return to the stove over medium heat, and cook until butter turns nut-brown and smells toasty then turn heat to a minimum. TIP: Pancetta can be crisped up to 8 hours ahead of time. Store at room temperature in an airtight container. The sage can be crisped up to 1 day ahead of time. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Cook The Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium high and then cook the filled pasta in batches of about 10 pieces for 1 to 2 minutes then remove to a baking sheet with a slotted spoon. Continue to cook all the pasta.
Finish The Pasta: When the pasta is just about done, reserve 2 cups of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and add it to the butter in the pan along with 1 1/4 cups of water and lemon juice. Cook until some of the water is absorbed and the pasta is perfectly al dente. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese — the sauce should become creamy, thin it with a little more water, as needed. Gently stir in the filled pasta until it's coated.Season well with salt, and serve immediately garnished with pancetta and sage and passing additional grated cheese at the table.