Spinach and Ricotta Half-Moon Pasta (Mezzelune)
Schlutzkrapfen Schlutzkrapfen (Mezzelune)Say it: SHLOOTS-krahp-fen
Mezzelune — Schlutzkrapfen in the German-speaking valleys — are the half-moon stuffed pasta of South Tyrol, a mountain region where Italian and Austrian kitchens meet. A rye-and-egg dough is wrapped around a soft filling of spinach, ricotta and chives, then sealed into crescents and boiled. They are dressed simply, with nutty browned butter and a shower of chives, so the earthy dough and green filling stay the centre of the plate. Hearty but delicate, they are served as a first course in alpine inns and family kitchens alike.
Spinach and Ricotta Half-Moon Pasta (Mezzelune)
Schlutzkrapfen, Schlutzkrapfen (Mezzelune)
Pronounced SHLOOTS-krahp-fen
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Pasta dough
Spinach filling
To finish
Method
Make the dough. pile the rye flour, all-purpose flour and salt on a board or in a wide bowl, make a well and add the eggs and olive oil. Knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and only slightly tacky, adding warm water a spoonful at a time if it stays dry and crumbly.
Wrap the dough and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes while you make the filling, so the rye flour hydrates and the gluten relaxes.
Warm the olive oil in a wide pan and soften the onion and garlic over medium heat until translucent but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach in handfuls and cook until fully wilted and the pan is dry again, 5-6 minutes.
Tip the spinach mixture onto a board, let it cool, then squeeze out any remaining liquid with your hands and chop it finely — a dry filling keeps the pasta sealed.
Mix the chopped spinach with the ricotta, Parmesan, chives and nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust; the filling should be soft but spoonable.
Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll each one thinly (about 1/16 in / 2 mm) into a long strip roughly 4 in (10 cm) wide, dusting with flour so it does not stick.
Dot teaspoons of filling along the lower half of each strip, about 1 in (2.5 cm) apart. Fold the dough over the filling, press gently around each mound to push out the air, and cut half-moons with a pastry wheel. Press the curved edges with a fork to seal.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook the mezzelune in batches for 3-4 minutes, until they float to the surface and the edges are tender but still firm to the bite. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat and let it foam and turn golden with a nutty aroma, about 3 minutes. Pull it off the heat and stir in the chives.
Spoon the browned butter over the drained mezzelune, toss gently and serve at once with grated Parmesan passed at the table.
Regional variant: Schlutzkrapfen with Speck (bacon)
A hearty South Tyrolean version: dice 3 1/2 oz (100 g) smoked Speck (or smoked bacon) and crisp it in the butter instead of using plain butter, then pour the butter and bacon over the pasta with the chives. Some cooks also fold a spoonful of the crisp bacon into the spinach-ricotta filling before shaping.
Cook's notes
- Squeeze the cooked spinach very dry; wet filling makes the dough tear at the seal.
- Rye dough is more fragile than wheat dough, so keep the sheets covered as you work and handle the half-moons with a slotted spoon.
- Freeze shaped mezzelune on a tray for 1 hour, then bag them — cook from frozen, adding about 1 minute to the boiling time.
Serve with
A glass of South Tyrolean white such as Sylvaner or Gewürztraminer, or a light red Schiava.
Make ahead and storage
Shape the mezzelune up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate on a floured tray covered with a cloth, or freeze for up to 2 months; boil straight from chilled or frozen.
