Castelcovati is a small town in the province of Brescia, one of the first towns in the lower Brescia area, that has been protected by the patron saint of the town, St. Anthony the Abbot – known for his dedication to the countryside and animals. Castelcovati, being a primarily agricultural town dedicated to breeding, maintains the tradition of blessing the fields and animals to this day. And on the occassion of the patron saint’s feast, the communnity gathers around the parish to taste the typical local specialty: the canünsèi.
Canünsèi
Canünsèi are the traditional casoncelli of Castelcovati. This pasta differs from the typical casoncelli of Brescia and Bergamo – both for the pasta’s closure method and for the filling. They have obtained recognition by the Italian government as a traditional Italian food product and they have also been given the Municipal Denomination (De.Co), in order to certify the origin of this product to the food and wine sector of the Cunneo territory.
Mrs. Margherita has been preparing the characteristic casoncelli for over 35 years, even before the festival took hold – when each family dedicated itself to the homemade preparation of the ravioli the day before the patron saint’s feast. Now for more than ten years, she has directed the team of volunteers who have been preparing the delicacies of the festival: canünsèi with butter or salmì, tripe, tagliata, salamine, oss de stomèc, melted cheese with polenta, beans and fried potatoes. The festival can also count on the commitment of the social cooperative "Solidarietà covatese", born in 2014, thanks to the collaboration of the municipal administration and the parish: together they have given new employment to some women of the village. This contribution has led to the recovery of a local tradition, born in a distant era, of one of the oldest and most genuine dishes of Castelcovati's cuisine. A project that goes beyond the festival and that aims to spread itself throughout the year and beyond borders, this is a product that is not only popular, but creates employment for women through the establishment of a social cooperative. The feast of St Anthony Abbot falls on January 17th, but the official start to the canünselada, at the Oratory of St John Bosco, is on January 10th.
Recipe for Canünsèi de Sant'Antone
Ingredients
For the puff pastry: 6 cups flour, 7 eggs, Water, Salt
For the filling: 1 lb grated bread, 1 lb grated Grana Padano, 4 oz butter, 4 oz parsley, Meat broth, Spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander, cloves), Garlic, 1 teaspoon tomato paste
For the seasoning: 5 oz butter, 1 sprig of sage, Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Method
Knead the flour and eggs. Add a pinch of salt and a drop of water to reach the desired consistency. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least half an hour, covering it with plastic wrap. In the meantime, prepare the filling. Melt the butter with a clove of garlic. When it is well browned, turn off the stove and let it cool. Add it to the bread and grated cheese. Then add chopped parsley, the spice mix and a teaspoon of tomato paste. Finally, pour in the broth, (just enough) to mix everything. Let the filling cool and start rolling out the pastry (not too thin!).
With the help of a glass, cut circles out of the pastry and in the center of each disc place a small ball of filling, about the size of a hazelnut. Fold the circle in half and with the help of a fork seal the edges of the raviolo. Each raviolo should have the typical notched marks of the cutlery. Let the canünsèi dry on a cloth or a lightly floured tray. Cook the pasta for about 5-6 minutes in plenty of salted water, drain and season with melted butter flavored with sage. Serve them boiling with a sprinkling of grated Parmigiano Reggiano.