Corzetti
Also known as: croxetti, corzetti stampati, corzetti della Valpolcevera, corzétti stanpæ
Traditional fresh pasta from eastern Liguria and the Polcevera valley: stamped discs (corzétti stanpæ) or small figure-of-eight medallions, usually served with pesto.
Corzetti, also spelled croxetti, are a traditional fresh pasta from eastern Liguria and the Val Polcevera. According to the Ligurian regional tourism agency, they have ancient roots but were rediscovered and revived about thirty years ago.
There are two types. The Val Polcevera version is medallion-shaped, like a small figure of eight. The Levante version, corzétti stanpæ, is stamped with decorative relief designs: wooden stamps with engraved patterns are pressed onto circles of dough, and the embossed pattern helps the pasta hold the sauce.
The agency's recipe uses 600 g of white flour, 3 egg yolks, water and salt; eggless versions exist, but the traditional recipe includes eggs.
Pesto is almost always served with corzetti. The traditional dressings named are finely chopped white meat with onion, celery and bay leaves, or butter with pine nuts, marjoram or sage and Parmesan.
Facts
| Raw material | Flour, egg yolks, water and salt |
|---|---|
| Region | Eastern Liguria and Val Polcevera |
| Main use | Pesto; white meat sauce; butter, pine nuts and marjoram |
How it connects to Pasta
Corzetti → related → 🫒 Olive oil ← related ← 🍝 Pasta
Links
- What it contains
- Wheat flour, 🥚 Chicken egg
- Part of
- Fresh pasta
- Similar and different
- Testaroli
- In other topics
- 🫒 Olive oil
Frequently asked questions
Are corzetti and croxetti the same pasta?
Yes, two spellings of the same Ligurian fresh pasta, in two types: the medallion and the stamped corzétti stanpæ.
How do you say corzetti, and is it a coin-shaped pasta like some UK ravioli?
It is a medallion or stamped disc of dough; the stamp gives a relief that holds sauce.
Is it true that corzetti are made without eggs?
Not quite. Eggless versions exist, but tradition includes eggs: 600 g flour with 3 yolks.
Why are corzetti stamped with wooden moulds?
Engraved wooden stamps press patterns into dough circles, and the embossing helps the pasta hold sauce.
What sauce goes with croxetti?
Almost always pesto, or finely chopped white meat with onion, celery and bay, or butter with pine nuts and marjoram.
What to read next
- Wheat flour — Finely ground common wheat: in Italy it is used for home-made fresh and egg pasta, in Germany for spätzle.
- 🫒 Olive oil — Oil pressed from the fruit of the olive tree.
- Testaroli — Traditional product of Lunigiana: a round, thin unleavened disc of wheat flour, lukewarm water and salt, baked between hot cast-iron testi, cut into small squares, softened in boiling water and dressed with olive oil and pecorino or pesto.
- 🥚 Chicken egg — The egg of the domestic hen: in pasta it gives yellow colour, an elastic dough and protein, and in the EU it must be highlighted on labels as an allergen.