Balanzoni, the Italian stuffed pasta no one has ever heard of!

Creamy ricotta, tasty Mortadella and rich Parmigiano cheese wrapped in a spinach green handmade fresh pasta dough is hardly known outside of its birthplace of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.
Pasta Shapes, Italian Pasta, Balanzoni from Bologna: Keywords
Balanzoni, a little known green dough stuffed pasta from Bologna, Italy.
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LINK to Blog article with everything you’d ever want to know about Balanzoni will go HERE. (Coming soon)
To make Balanzoni you’ll need to
A. make a green spinach dough, B. prepare the filling and C. shape these beautiful morsels.
A. GREEN DOUGH
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
400g /14 oz Soft wheat flour 00 or All Purpose wheat flour
100g/3oz cooked and minced spinach
Procedure:
1. For “How To Prepare" the green dough please watch THIS RUclips video: • How to make 💚 Green Pa...
2. For "How to Knead" the (any egg) pasta dough please watch THIS (complete Tutorial) RUclips video: • Homemade Fresh Pasta M...
3. Let your pasta rest covered for 30 minutes and prepare the filling in the meantime.
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B. BALANZONI FILLING
Ingredients:
250g Fresh cow’s ricotta
30g Spinach, cooked and wrung out of excess moisture*
30g Butter
1-2 Fresh basil leaves
75g Mortadella from Bologna, minced
50g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
Salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste
*Many people, including myself, leave the spinach out.
Procedure:
1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and cook the spinach in it over low heat.
2. Add salt and nutmeg to taste and stir constantly for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, allow to cool and mince finely.
4. In a bowl mix all the ingredients well or put them in a food processor and process until thoroughly blended.
5. Taste and add salt and grated nutmeg, as needed (you should be able to taste the nutmeg).
6. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
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C. SHAPING & COOKING THE BALANZONI
1. Roll out dough by hand or machine, see “How To” by watching THIS (complete Tutorial) RUclips video: • Homemade Fresh Pasta M... .
2. Cover your pasta sheets with a clean, safe for food plastic sheet or other non transpirant, safe for food item or work very fast!
3. When ready to cut the pasta dough, uncover and cut squares as shown in video above.
4. Fill squares generously and fold as shown in video above.
5. Place pasta morsels on a surface that will absorb moisture such as wooden cutting board, paper trays, tray covered with a thick cotton or linen kitchen towel. All of these should be perfectly clean.
6. Place each pasta shape in even rows making sure that while close to each other, they actually don’t touch each other.
7. Keep trays uncovered in a cool room, if however that’s impossible, cover with a clean cotton or linen kitchen towel and place in refrigerator if eating within a few hours or in freezer, if eating within a week.
8. Cook in boiling salted water until done (cooking times will vary), pull one out after 6-7 minutes and cut off a tiny end and test for doneness.
9. Place a nice knob of butter per person in a shallow pan with a few fresh sage leaves. Cook over medium-low heat until melted.
10. Gently toss cooked Balanzoni with melted butter and sage, sprinkle with some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
🇮🇹 Buon Appetito! 💚
Helpful tools to have on Hand:
1. Pasta Cutter or non serrated knife
2. Safe for food plastic sheet
3. Safe for food paper trays
4. Food processor
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[@amywiggins7081]

We were in Bologna a couple weeks ago and had this EXACT meal and it was one of our favorites on the entire trip! SO excited to find this recipe!

[@TasteofItaly]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@pansycheng-om4oe]

It's just like making a wonton!!☺

[@TasteofItaly]

The folding part definitely is! 🎉🎉

[@jamieschoenfeld6937]

Bravo Maribel - just beautiful. Thank you sharing. Once formed, can the Balanzoni be frozen? If so, how long can they last in the freezer?

[@TasteofItaly]

Thank you! The Balanzoni can be frozen like other egg dough pasta shapes. In a professional kitchen you'd blanch them first and then carefully dry each one and freeze. In my home, I just freeze as they are and eat within 3-4 weeks. Without blanching, they tend to crack after 6 weeks or so.