Genoese pansotti (or pansoti) are traditional filled pasta from East Liguria. Their name derives from “pancia” (belly) because they have the shape of a very round bundle.
It is also possible to find them in the form of triangles, half-moons or large ravioli. They can be spelled with one t (pansoti) or 2 (pansotti) according to the area of Liguria and therefore small differences in local dialect.
The filling is composed of a mix of wild herbs, known as “preboggion”. Preboggion is not easily found in shops but can be found in local markets or purchased from organic farmers who sell it direct. Alternatively, it can be replaced with Swiss chard, spinach or borage on their own or mixed together. You can also use it in a fine omelette.
Another fundamental ingredient is a slightly sour fresh cheese called prescinsêua. If you do not live in Liguria (where it is even sold in supermarkets) you can use a mix of ricotta and yoghurt, or the soft part of bread soaked in milk.
Finally, the filling requires grated Parmesan cheese and the indispensable marjoram. I do not put egg in but some use it in the filling to bind the ingredients together.
Try them with a good walnut sauce and let me know. Try also:
Ingredients
Fresh pasta
Filling
Tools
Steps
Fresh pasta
Pour the sieved flour and salt into a bowl. Add the white wine and water at room temperature. Mix and knead with your hands to obtain a smooth and elastic dough. Put it in the fridge to rest for half an hour wrapped in food film.
Filling
Blend the vegetables with the prescinsêua, Parmesan cheese, marjoram, salt and pepper.
Take the dough out of the fridge. Put it back on the floured pastry board. Start to feed some pieces through the dough sheeter, starting from the thicker level and moving on to the thinner one (I stopped at the penultimate level but it depends on your machine). If you do not have a dough sheeter, use a rolling pin.
Continue to flour the sheets to stop them from sticking together.
Cut the squares out using the pastry wheel and using two teaspoons put a small pile of filling in the centre of each square.
Fold the squares over to make a triangle and then close them in the form of a pansoto (similar to a large tortello).
Note: if the dough dries out while you are preparing the pansoti, moisten the edges of the square of pasta dough before closing them.
Cook the pansoti in boiling salted water and season with butter, sage and Parmesan cheese or with walnut sauce.
If you do not use them all, I advise putting them in floured trays, covering with aluminium foil and placing in the freezer. After 12 hours, transfer them to a bag and keep them in the freezer.
You can cook them in hot water directly from frozen.
Varied doses for servings