Shared by Yedida and Elli Dabah
Calsones (Pasta Stuffed With Cheese, Sweet Potato, Mushrooms, or Beet Greens)
Yield: 75 calsones and about 1lb. of fettuccineTime: 3hCalsones (Pasta Stuffed With Cheese, Sweet Potato, Mushrooms, or Beet Greens)
Yield: 75 calsones and about 1lb. of fettuccineTime: 3hThis recipe is featured in our cookbook "The Jewish Holiday Table: A World of Recipes, Traditions & Stories to Celebrate All Year Long." For more holiday recipes from around the world, get your copy!
This recipe was shared by Yedida and Elli Dabah. Read more about their family in "A Shavuot Recipe That Spans 3000 Miles and Hundreds of Years."
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 7 cups (1000g) all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 5 eggs, whisked
- 1 ½ cups water
For assembly:
- 1-2 eggs, whisked, for egg wash
Special equipment:
- Pasta machine
Preparation
Step 1
Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. Create a well in the center of the flour and pour in the eggs. Using a circular motion slowly start to incorporate the flour into the eggs. Once most of the egg mixture has been incorporated, slowly drizzle in the water while continuing to mix. Once the dough starts to come together, knead for 3-4 more minutes until an even dough forms. It will still be a little shaggy. Divide the dough into 10 balls, sprinkle with flour and let rest in the bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Prepare your work station: securely fasten your pasta machine to a large table or work surface. Generously flour the work surface and the pasta maker.
Step 3
Roll out the dough: Take the first ball of dough and flatten and stretch it into a 2x3” rectangular shape. Set the pasta machine to position 2 and carefully crank the dough through the machine. Repeat with the pasta machine set to position 4 and then position 6. The dough will have gone through the machine a total of three times and should now be a long, thin, wide sheet. Place the sheet on the prepared work surface and sprinkle with flour. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
Step 4
Fill and shape the calsones: Place a pasta sheet in front of you. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat with the egg wash. Place 1 tablespoon of filling (see filling options below), about 1 inch from the top edge of the pasta sheet. Repeat, moving down the length of the pasta sheet placing tablespoons of filling about 2 inches apart from one another.
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Working carefully, lay another pasta sheet, approximately the same size, over the fillings. Press around the perimeter of each filling mound out to the edges of the dough sheets to tighten and seal the pasta around the filling being careful not to create any air pockets. If you encounter any air pockets, poke them with a knife, release the air and re-seal the dough. Use a thin rimmed glass or cup (about 2 ½ -3 inches in diameter) to cut the calsones into even circles with the filling in the middle. Transfer to a floured baking sheet. Gather the scraps back into a ball and set aside to rest covered.
Step 8
At this stage you can freeze the calsones on the tray for 10-15 minutes and then transfer to a ziplock or other container to store in the freezer until ready to eat.
Step 9
To cook the calsones: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Place 8-10 calsones in the water, being careful not to overcrowd the pot, and cook for about 2 minutes (if cooking frozen calsones, place in the boiling water straight from the freezer and add 1-2 more minutes of cooking time). Remove with a spider or strainer, add sauce (see options below) and serve immediately.
Step 10
Use the remaining dough scraps to make fettuccine! Reshape the dough into 2x3” rectangles and run it back through the pasta machine on 2, 4 and 6 and then finally through the fettuccine setting. Spread out on a floured surface until totally dry, then move into a sealed container. Cook for 2 minutes in boiling water. Drain and serve with your choice of sauce.