The history of Balanzoni
Balanzoni are a typical dish of Bolognese tradition that, once tried, will be hard to forget. Their unmistakable taste is appreciated by many people in Italy and around the world, but their original recipe is not as well known as one might expect from such a delicious dish, and few people know how to provide an adequate answer to the question “How to prepare Balanzoni”. Precisely for this reason, we at Gastronomia Ceccarelli have summarised in this article the most popular and tasty Balanzoni recipes.
THE ORIGINAL RECIPE FOR BALANZONI
It is said that Balanzoni, also called Tortelli Matti, were born out of a desire not to waste leftovers from the dough and filling of Tortellini. Although it cannot be confirmed that this story is 100% true, the recipe for Bolognese Balanzoni, the very same one that has been handed down for generations in our Gastronomia, is indeed the original one.
The filling for Balanzoni is prepared with Ricotta, boiled Spinach, Mortadella (or pork loin), Eggs, and Parmigiano Reggiano. As for the preparation of the classic green pasta sheet, which gives colour and flavour to our Balanzoni, it requires Flour, Eggs, and Spinach. In addition to the ingredients just listed, to make everything even tastier, a pinch of nutmeg is often added, either to the filling or the dough, but omitting it is not a crime.
Traditional Balanzoni are finally served with a seasoning of Butter and Sage, capable of giving the dish a breathtaking taste.
WHAT ARE THE MOST FAMOUS RECIPES?
After discovering how Balanzoni are prepared in their original version, let’s discover all the variations of this recipe.
Here then are some of the most famous and tasty recipes involving them, preparations that can be easily repeated in your own home!
- Balanzoni with Sausage and Mascarpone
One of the most famous recipes featuring Balanzoni as the protagonists of the dish is certainly the one with Sausage and Mascarpone. The light and flavourful touch of fat from the sausage and the sweet taste that Mascarpone gives to the whole dish make this recipe a Must for Balanzoni lovers.
To prepare it, simply sauté some crumbled Sausage, add half a glass of White wine and let it evaporate. Then add a knob of Butter and 3 tablespoons of Mascarpone. Meanwhile, drop the Balanzoni into boiling water and drain them after a maximum of 3/4 minutes. The dish is ready and to enjoy it at its best, we recommend adding a little Nutmeg to make it even tastier!
- Balanzoni with Butter, Sage and crispy Speck
Another truly tasty recipe, capable of enhancing the flavour of our beloved Balanzoni and at the same time evoking tradition, is the one that features crispy Speck alongside the classic Balanzoni seasoning, namely Butter and Sage. The preparation of this recipe is very simple and to obtain Balanzoni with Butter, Sage and Speck, simply brown the latter separately until it reaches the right crispness and combine it with the Balanzoni once drained. Then add a knob of Butter and season with Sage and Pepper to taste and our Balanzoni with Butter, Sage and crispy Speck are ready to be enjoyed.
- Balanzoni with Guanciale, Parmesan Cream and Pistachio Crumb
The last recipe we propose is absolutely our favourite variation: Balanzoni with Guanciale, Parmesan Cream and Pistachio Crumb! A very simple and quick recipe, which we told you about some time ago in (link) this article.
