Cappellacci with Cotechino and Lentil Cream
- Energy Kcal 502
- Carbohydrates g 45.2
- of which sugars g 3.6
- Protein g 27.8
- Fats g 23.4
- of which saturated fat g 7.96
- Fiber g 4.8
- Cholesterol mg 148
- Sodium mg 870
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Prep time: 1 h 30 min
- Cook time: 50 min
- Serving: 8
- Cost: High
PRESENTATION
Cappellacci with cotechino and lentil cream is like the star of the show at holiday tables in Emilia-Romagna. Seriously, folks in this part of Italy go all in on fresh pasta—ravioli, tagliolini, passatelli—you name it. But this dish? It's got something special, especially for New Year’s. Big, tender pasta stuffed with cotechino, which is a rich, moist pork sausage that's a must for the holidays. And look, around New Year’s, pairing cotechino with lentils is a big deal across Northern and Central Italy because, well, it’s all about good luck and prosperity. So putting cotechino inside pasta with a lentil cream sauce? It’s traditional yet kinda new—both.
The lentil cream is super smooth and hearty, like a big, warm hug. Exactly what you want at a family gathering, right? Families here often make these cotechino recipes just once a year, and, to be honest, sharing them means a lot. The smell of the sausage mixing with the earthy lentils fills up the kitchen. It gets everyone—kids and adults—excited for dinner. This dish isn't light and summery; it's all about those big, cozy flavors.
Both kids and adults love how the creamy lentils and sausage filling blend together, while the pasta soaks up all that flavor. Out of all the traditional Italian dishes for the holidays, this one brings everyone together. And listen, whether you’re hunting for New Year’s Eve recipes or just want something different, this dish delivers. It’s a wonderful way to honor Italian food traditions while trying something fresh—perfect for ringing in the new year with real flavor and heart. Plus, it’s a dish that brings everyone together around the table, sharing stories and laughter as they savor every bite. Honestly, cannot go wrong with that.
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INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for cappellacci
- Eggs 5.75 oz (165 g)
- Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups (300 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Sage 2 leaves
- Rosemary 1 sprig
- Black pepper to taste
- for the filling
- Precooked cotechino 1.1 lbs (500 g)
- Potatoes 5.25 oz (150 g)
- Cow's milk ricotta cheese ½ cup (100 g)
- Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1 oz (30 g)
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- for the lentil cream
- Dried lentils ¾ cup (150 g)
- Bay leaves 1 leaf
- Yellow onions 1 - small
- Carrots ½
- Celery ½ rib
- Garlic 1 clove
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Water 4 ¼ cups (1 l)
How to prepare Cappellacci with Cotechino and Lentil Cream
To prepare the cappellacci with cotechino and lentil cream, the first thing to do is boil the potatoes that will be used for the filling 1. It will take about 30-50 minutes depending on their size. Then make the egg pasta: sift the flour into a bowl 2, add the previously beaten eggs 3
and start mixing with a fork 4 to combine the ingredients. Then transfer the mixture to a work surface 5 and knead it with your hands until you get a homogeneous mixture 6.
Wrap the egg pasta in plastic wrap and let it 7 rest at room temperature. In the meantime, take care of cooking the lentils: rinse them and transfer them to a saucepan. Cover them with water 8, add the bay leaf 9, and let them cook for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the cotechino following the instructions on the package; in our case, it needed to be immersed in cold water and cooked for about 30 minutes 10. At this point, the potatoes will also be cooked. To check the cooking, prick them with the tines of a fork 11; if they penetrate easily, they are done. Drain them and set them aside. When the cotechino is cooked, remove it from the water and unwrap it 12, being careful not to burn yourself with the liquid inside the packaging.
Transfer the cotechino to a cutting board and peel it 13, then transfer it to a bowl and mash it with a fork 14. Mash the potatoes into the same bowl 15,
add the ricotta 16, the Parmigiano 17, and the pepper. Mix everything until the ingredients are uniform 18 and place it in the refrigerator.
Move on to the lentils. Clean the carrot, onion, and celery 19, finely chop them with a knife or use a mixer 20. Once the lentils are cooked, remove the bay leaf 21.
Drain them, reserving the cooking water. In a pan, pour a drizzle of oil, add a clove of garlic, and the mixed mince 22. Let it flavor over medium heat and add the lentils 23. Sauté everything for a few minutes, then remove the clove of garlic 24.
Transfer them to the glass of a mixer and add a little cooking water 25, blend them with an immersion blender 26 until you get a smooth cream 27.
To get an even smoother cream, strain it 28; then transfer it to a small saucepan 29 so you can heat it while you sauté the pasta. Now that everything is ready, all that remains is to deal with the pasta. Take a piece of dough, cover the rest again with plastic wrap 30, and lightly dust it with semolina flour.
Using a pasta machine, or on a work surface with a rolling pin, roll out a very thin sheet 31. In the case of the pasta machine, remember to start with the largest setting and move to the smallest. Only if necessary, you can add a bit of semolina flour. Remove any coarse edges 32 and then cut into squares of 3-4 inches 33.
Place about half a teaspoon of filling in the middle of each square 34 and then wet only two sides with a little water. Feel free to use a spray bottle 35 or a brush. At this point, proceed with closing and forming the cappellacci. Join two opposite corners to form a triangle 36.
Then pinch all the edges with your fingers 37 until completely closed and letting out the air. Press the ends of the triangle directly on the work surface, with the tips of your thumbs push the belly upwards and finally join the two ends pulling them down, in the opposite direction of the tip 39.
Pinch with your fingers to seal 40 and if necessary, you can remove a piece of dough that would otherwise be too thick 41. As you form the cappellacci (with these amounts, you will get about 60), arrange them on a tray lightly dusted with semolina flour. Once they are all finished 42 all that remains is to put a pot full of water on the fire, salted to taste; this will be used for cooking.
Meanwhile, in a pan, pour a bit of oil and season with a sprig of rosemary and a couple of sage leaves. As soon as the water starts to boil, pour the cappellacci into the pot and cook them for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on how long you left them out to dry. When the cappellacci are cooked, drain them directly into the oil, rosemary, and sage seasoning; sauté them briefly.
Then, in a dish, pour some lentil cream 46 and place the cappellacci in the middle 47. Garnish with some sage, rosemary needles, and a grind of pepper 48. Here are your cappellacci with cotechino and lentil cream ready!