Balanzoni

Method

1. On a work surface, place the flour in a mound and make a wide well in the centre. Set aside some flour to adjust consistency later.
2. Break two room‑temperature eggs into the well. Beat the eggs with a fork using an up‑and-down motion until bubbles appear and the yolk and white are fully combined. Add the cooked, blended spinach puree and continue beating until the mixture becomes completely green.
3. Gradually incorporate flour from the sides into the egg mixture, first with the fork and then with a dough scraper (reschietto). Keep adding flour until the dough holds together. If it feels too sticky, add more flour.
4. Knead the dough with the palm of your hand, pushing forward and turning it a quarter turn after each sequence. Continue until the dough is smooth and homogeneous. Wrap in plastic film and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
5. While the dough rests, prepare the filling: finely chop mortadella in a food processor. Add drained ricotta and grated Parmigiano Reggiano, season with salt and pepper, and mix until smooth.
6. After the rest, dust the work surface with semolina. Flatten the dough into a circle. Roll it out with a rolling pin, starting from the centre and turning the dough a quarter turn each time. For balanzoni, the sheet should be slightly thicker than for tagliatelle – you should see light through it but not too clearly.
7. Use a tagliapasta rolling pin (or a knife) to cut the sheet into even squares.
8. Place a walnut‑sized portion of filling in the centre of each square. To shape: hold a square with one corner pointing up, fold the bottom corner up to meet the top corner, and press firmly. Seal along one edge to form a triangle, pushing out any air. Then fold the two side corners forward, one after the other, to create the 'belly'. Place your index and middle fingers underneath and press to close.
9. Cook the balanzoni in boiling salted water for 4–6 minutes (they will float to the surface but need the full time). Meanwhile, gently melt butter with fresh sage leaves in a pan.
10. Drain the balanzoni and toss them in the butter and sage. Serve immediately with a generous grating of Parmigiano Reggiano.