Corzetti: A Regional Pasta that Really Leaves an Impression

The Ligurian region of Italy lies along the border of France and is home to a very special fresh pasta called Corzetti. In this article, we will only discuss corzetti stampae, coin-like fresh pasta cut and embossed with various decorative patterns, one-by-one, using a special wooden stamping tool, itself specially hand-made by artisan wood craftsmen using both wood-turning chip carving techniques. They are typically made out of maple, or fruit woods like pear or apple. In the Genovese dialect these coin pastas are called curzetti. Making corzetti is very laborious and time consuming, and as such are typically made only during the holidays or for special occasions.

Making the Corzetti stamps is an artisan craft

Figure-Eight shaped

There are also a different type of Corzetti from the Val Polcevera, one of the principal valleys of the area of Genoa, that are made in "figure eight" shape and look nothing like coins.

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Factory made, dried Croxetti

Corzetti stampae are also made in the area surrounding Novi Ligure, just across the border with Piedmont in the Province of Alessandria. Both coin types are similar to an historic Ligurian pasta called Croxetti, nowadays produced as dry pasta in factories, but originally made by peasants in the Middle Ages to be consumed exclusively by the ruling class.

Genovini d'0ro gold coins

In Latin, the word for cross is crux. Cröxe in Genovese dialect also means cross. So one might realize that the word croxetti (in Italian), might be referring to the "little cross"--gold coins that were made in the 12th century called Genovini d'0ro. It's no surprise that many refer to Crozetti as "coins".

It is also possible that during the Renaissance they were used for weddings with the coats of arms of both bride and groom, one each on either side. Some claim that one local family made corzetti to impress Maria Luigia of Borbone, just before leaving for France to marry Napoleon.

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For an extra fee, a corzetti stamp maker can even carve a custom pattern for your family

These small, thin rounds of pasta are given an embossed decoration using a special wooden hand-tool. One side of the corzetti tool is used to cut out the round shapes, while the other side is carved with the embossing pattern--one pattern for each side of the coin. The embossing does more than just decorate the pasta coins--the resulting texture helps the sauce cling to the pasta.

Corzetti with peas, chives, and marjoram - the Kitten impression, made with a child's toy

Corzetti with a simple tomato sauce

There are some very simple and traditional recipes corzetti sauces. One of the oldest sauces is from medieval times, a pesto made with marjoram, pine nuts, walnuts, olive oil and parmesan cheese. Another similar recipes uses melted butter in place of olive oil, and places the ingredients in the hot pan rather than mashing into a pesto. Here is another fantastic sauce made using walnuts...

Sugo di noci
1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
1 medium size clove garlic
1/2 cup of fresh ciabatta bread, cubed, soaked in a bit of milk, then squeezed nearly dry.
1/4 cup fresh marjoram leaves
3 -4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
a pinch of salt
Run all the ingredients in a blender until smooth, with some texture remaining.
This sauce can be used as any pesto, tossing with the pasta. If you like, you can also place the sauce into a large saute pan and heat along with the corzetti.

Making Corzetti
The ingredients for the pasta are for 4 persons.

3 1/3 cups all purpose flour.
5 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup of white wine

• Place the flour on a wooden board and create a well.
• Place the egg yolks into the well.
• Add half the wine and slowly incorporate the mixture into the flour with a fork, adding the rest of the wine as you mix.
• Knead the dough for several minutes until very smooth and supple.
• Wrap with plastic wrap and let rest for  30 minutes.
• Using a bench knife, cut the dough into 3 equal pieces, flattening each into a rectangle.
• Using a pasta machine, starting thicker and moving to thinner settings, roll sheets until they are about 1/8" - 3/16" thick. If you roll the pasta too thin, your corzetti stamps won't leave a strong impression and the pattern on one side will cancel out the other. Also, the deeper the pattern, the better your corzetti will hold sauce.
  
• Dust the sheets with flour to prevent sticking. Cover with a cloth to prevent drying.
• Using the cutting side of a Corzetti stamp, first dip the stamp into flour (to prevent sticking), then cut a disk from the sheet. Some people dust the coin shapes in flour just before placing them into the stamp.
  
• Next, place the cut pasta disk between the patterned sides of the stamp. Pressing down on the pasta, you will emboss both sides with the design on the stamp.
  
• Repeat many, many times.
  
• Let the disks dry in a single layer on sheet pans lined with clean cotton kitchen towels.
• Have your sauce ready before cooking the corzetti--they cook fast.
• Fill a large pot with cold water, add 3-4 tablespoons of Kosher salt to the water and bring to the boil. Put the Corzetti in to the water, stir to prevent sticking.
• The corzetti should be ready when the water comes back to a  boil, plus one minute or so. Test a corzetti to see if they are just a bit before being al dente. They will finish cooking in the pan with the sauce.
• Place the sauce in a hot pan and cook with the corzetti, toss to coat with sauce, perhaps adding a tablespoon or two of the pasta water the help the sauce to cling.
• Serve.

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I hope you take the time to make corzetti for your next special event or holiday meal. Let us know how it turned out!

Ciao...

--Jerry Finzi