Homemade Fagottini Pasta 2 Ways.

5 from 48 votes

Homemade Fagottini Pasta 2 Ways.

Fagottini pasta, sometimes called sacchetti or saccottini, is a stunning type of Italian tortellini that adds a touch of elegance to any meal. Here you’ll learn how to make homemade fagottini and two traditional methods to fill and serve it, with four cheeses in butter and sage or with meat and spinach in broth!

Prep Time1

Cook Time10

Resting time for dough.30

Total Time1 40

Course: Homemade Pasta, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, Northern Italy

Keyword: fagottini, filled pasta, ravioli, saccottini, sachetti

Servings:

Calories: 433kcal

Author: Jacqui

Equipment

1 pasta machine (optional)
1 Rolling Pin
1 large pot to cook pasta
2 large bowls to make dough and filling.

Ingredients

To make the pasta dough

7 oz Italian '00' soft wheat flour (200g) or all purpose flour
3.5 oz durum wheat semolina flour (100g) or just soft wheat flour
3 large eggs
1 pinch salt
tepid water if required

For the four cheese filling

7oz fresh ricotta (200g) well drained
1.5oz gorgonzola dolce (sweet) (40g)
1.5oz Parmigiano Reggiano or grana (40g) freshly grated.
1.5oz Pecorino Romano (40g) freshly grated
1 large egg
salt and pepper to season

For the meat and spinach filling.

7oz cooked fresh or frozen spinach (200g) well drained and squeezed to remove liquid.
7oz ground pork leg (200g)
7oz ground veal shoulder (200g)
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
1-2 carrots finely chopped
1-2 celery stalks finely chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary chopped
1 bay leaf
2.5 floz white wine (half a standard serving)
1 large egg
1.8oz Parmigiano Reggiano or grana (50g) grated
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch nutmeg freshly grated

To serve the fagottini pasta with butter and sage

2-4oz unsalted butter
6-8 fresh sage leaves

To serve in broth

6 cups beef or chicken broth (1.5lts) homemade or store bought.

Instructions

Make the pasta dough.

Sift the two flours into a bowl, add salt and mix together. Create a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the well and beat them lightly with a fork. Gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs until a rough dough forms.
If the dough seems too dry, add a little water, one tablespoon at a time, until it comes together. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead it for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Roll the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap (clingfilm) and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

Make the four cheese filling.

Put the filling ingredients into a bowl and mash and mix until you have a thick creamy consistency.

or make the meat and spinach filling.

Wash and finely chop the carrot and celery. Peel and finely chop the onion. Wash the spinach. Chop the rosemary.
Sauté the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until soft. Add the ground meat and let it brown.
Add the rosemary and bay leaf to the meat with the wine. Simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated.
While the meat is cooking, wilt the wet spinach in a pan. Drain really well. I like to squeeze it in a tea towel to remove all the water. Then chop roughly.
Allow the meat and spinach to cool. Then put them in a large bowl. Add nutmeg and an egg. Purée using an immersion blender.
Add grated Parmigiano to the filling and mix in well.

Roll out the dough

Cut about ¼ off the dough ball and rewrap the rest to stop it drying out. Press the dough piece flat using your hand or a rolling pin. Roll it out into a thin sheet using either a pasta machine or continue with the rolling pin.
If using a machine, make sure that you pass it through on the widest setting 2-3 times (folding it into thirds between passes) before passing it though the narrower settings.The pasta needs to be thin enough that you can just about see your fingers through it.

Make your fagottini pasta.

Using a straight-edged pasta cutting wheel or square cookie/ravioli cutter, cut each dough sheet into squares of approximately 4-5cm (1.5-2”).
To fill, use either a piping bag with medium round tip, or teaspoon. Add a small grapesized amount of filling into the centre of every square.
For each pasta square, bring opposite corners together in the centre, above the filling. First two corners and then the other two and then press and seal the edges together where they meet.
Transfer the ready fagottini to a baking paper lined tray dusted with semolina flour. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Cook and serve your homemade fagottini.

You can serve both types of fagottini with melted butter and sage or in broth. The broth can be homemade,or store bought. I like to use a homemade beef broth with the meat filled fagottini and a chicken or vegetable broth with the four cheese fagottini.
Boil the pasta in boling salted water until they rise to the surface. After 1-2 minutes remove from the water using a slotted spoon and add to a pan with melted butter and crispy sage or add to simmering broth.
You may need to cook the pasta in batches depending on how many you made or need. Crowding too many fagottini in the pot will delay cooking and make the pasta more likely to get damaged. You can also cook fagottini in the broth.

Notes

Cooked fagottini can be kept in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days. Uncooked filled pasta tends to get soggy in the fridge if left more than a day, so I usually freeze it and cook from frozen.

To freeze for later, place the fagottini on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. When you're ready to enjoy them, cook the frozen pasta in boiling water according to the original instructions, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.

For ideas on how to use leftovers see the main text.

Nutrition