Casunzièi ravioli hail from the Dolomites, the mountainous region of northeast Italy, and they're one of Cortina d'Ampezzo's most traditional dishes. The word ‘casoncelli’ derives from ‘casereccio,’ and this recipe was historically made with the few ingredients available. In fact, it’s rather widespread from Lombardy to Veneto in different variations. In the mountain town of Cortina, casunzei are traditionally made with very thin fresh egg pasta filled with red beets, and served with (an abundance of) melted butter, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and poppy seeds. Some prefer them seasoned with smoked ricotta cheese, or with ricotta cheese added to the filling. Traditionalists prefer adding yellow turnips, though it’s not so easy to find them anymore, which is why they’re considered the secret ingredient for many restaurants. The casunzei pictured in the photo above were made at Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, and the only five-star luxury hotel in the Dolomites, made by hand by Chef Marco Pinelli at La Veranda del Cristallo Restaurant, as an expression of classic Italian cuisine. We also suggest trying the cazunsei during the wintertime at La Stube 1872, where they also make many other dishes of the Ampezzano tradition.
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
9 oz. boiled potatoes or yellow turnips
1 lb. raw red beets
11 oz. type “00” flour
3 large eggs
1 stick butter
Poppy seeds
How to make traditional casunzei
Cook the red beets in a little water (just enough to cover them), or steam them so that they don’t absorb any more water. When a fork can easily pierce the beets, drain and peel them. Then crush them and let drain on a dish rack for at least one hour (or better yet, overnight), so they release all their excess water. Then add a boiled, crushed potato to the dough. Let cool completely. Add salt, pepper and a tablespoon of cornstarch or breadcrumbs if necessary.
Make the fresh dough with flour, eggs and warm water and pull it thin. Using a glass or a pastry mold, cut out 8-cm diameter circles from the dough. Add a spoonful of the filling to the center of each one. Fold each dough circle in half, making sure the edges stick together by pressing them with the tines of a fork. (Make sure to let out any air pockets before cooking.)
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and melt a stick of butter in a pan with the poppyseed. Remove from the heat before the butter browns.
Place the casunzei in the salted boiling water. When they rise to the top, they're cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and gently place them in the pan with the butter and poppyseed. Coat them with the sauce then distribute into bowls and serve.