Corzetti are our favourite fresh homemade stamped pasta from Italy.
Our healthy vegetarian Corzetti recipe, also known as croxetti, is quick and easy to make, ready to serve in under 1 hour!
Fork through tender stamped pasta from Liguria featuring flavourful olive oil, egg, white wine, pine nuts, marjoram, garlic and parmesan cheese.
Save this story to Pinterest!
What Is Corzetti?
Corzetti, also known as croxetti are a kind of pasta typical of the Ligurian cuisine of north-west Italy. It’s also well known in the area of Novi Ligure just across the border with Piedmont in the Province of Alessandria.
Corzetti originated in Liguria along the border of France during the middle ages. The name itself derives from a 14th-century Genoan coin, the corzetto.
There are different kinds of corzetti. Those from the Val Polcevera, one of the principal valleys of the area of Genoa are made in a figure of eight shape. Elsewhere corzetti stampæ, “pressed” or “stamped” corzetti are found.
The fresh pasta are small, thin rounds that are given an embossed decoration using a unique wooden hand-tool. The embossing helps the pasta to hold its sauce better.
Corzetti are still produced in small batches near Genoa. In the past they were made by local peasants and used by rich aristocratic families as a coy culinary display of their wealth and status. The history here is obvious as the stamped pasta appear on the plate like large decorative coins.
Corzetti Stamp
A corzetti stamp is a two-piece pasta tool: one side is a pasta cutter, the other is an engraved stamp with a design that embosses itself on the pasta.
Today you can find Italian corzetti already prepared and packed in regional food shops or in local restaurants from Genoa to Cinque Terre.
There are still a few artisan woodcarvers, especially in the East Italian Riviera, who work to preserve this ancient culinary art and carve gorgeous pasta stamps just like centuries ago.
This special kitchen tool can be hard to find outside of Italy so check prices and availability for Corzetti Stamps on Amazon.
Travel to Italy by Cooking Corzetti at Home
I love traveling to Europe!
During my first visit to the continent I traveled for 5 months by train and plane. I had the opportunity to eat my way through Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland,Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Czech, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Turkey and Italy.
What I love most about traveling to Italy is the opportunity to sample unique dishes in each region and city. The dishes in Tuscany (Florence, Pisa, Volterra, Saturnia, Pitigliano, Sorano, Montalcino, Siena) are unique from what you’d find in Venice, Modena, Milan, Rome, and Amalfi Coast.
Once back home from an Ligurian holiday you’ll have a newfound appreciation for the flavours of Italy and can impress friends and family by making our homemade Corzetti recipe!
Where To Eat Corzetti
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Italian restaurant that serves Corzetti.
Haven’t traveled to Italy before? It may be helpful to first sample Corzetti pasta at a local Italian restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can also assess the ideal thickness of the pasta and best ingredients to incorporate into the sauce before trying to make Corzetti at home from scratch.
In Toronto, popular Italian restaurants in Yorkville, King West and Ossington that may serve fresh Corzetti pasta include Bar Vendetta, Buca, Superpoint, Amano, Fabbrica, Oretta, FIGO, Nodo, Locale Mercatto, The Good Son, Taverna Mercatto, Ascari Enoteca, Il Fornello or Gusto 101.
My Family Loves Ligurian Stamped Pasta
I love cooking Corzetti for my family.
I first made this traditional Ligurian pasta recipe on a winter weekend at our cottage in Muskoka after buying a Corzetti stamp from a local kitchen supply store.
Corzetti dough is a little tougher than Pici Pasta so do take the time to knead it with care until shiny and glossy. Corzetti pasta dough is traditionally made with 00 pasta flour, egg yolks, whole egg and dry white wine.
It’s a fun recipe to make with family, especially kids, who can perfect their pasta dough rolling and stamping skills. My mom and I attempted to perfect our Corzetti skills by gently rolling the stampe over fresh pasta dough before boiling in salted water.
I started making the recipe in the morning after we finished brunch and by lunch we were ready to sit down and fork through these tender pasta coins tossed in a simple marjoram, pine nut, garlic and olive oil sauce.
Corzetti Health Benefits
Our Corzetti recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Olive Oil is ranked as one of the healthiest fats and is a staple in the Mediterranean diet. It contains vitamins E and K and plenty of beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants.
It is only recently that scientists have begun to identify the components responsible for garlic’s myriad health benefits. Rich in phytochemicals and potassium, garlic helps boost your immune system, fight cancer and protect your heart.
Consuming dairy products (such as milk and cheese) provides health benefits — especially improved bone health. Dairy foods provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body. These nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein.
Eggs contain two vital nutrients that are not present in many foods: iodine and vitamin D. Eggs are also rich in tissue-building protein and vitamin B12, which helps your body manufacture blood cells.
Marjoram is antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and can have a calming effect on the digestive system. It is also a good source of folate, which supports blood health.
Wheat flour is rich in vitamins B-1, B-3, and B-5, along with riboflavin and folate. It also has more iron, calcium, protein, and other nutrients than white flour.
Pine Nuts are rich in magnesium, iron, antioxidants, zinc, and protein, which can help with diabetes management, heart health, and brain health.
Corzetti Pasta Cooking Tips
This healthy fresh pasta is quick and easy to make at home. We’ve included a few tips to ensure your first batch are beautiful!
- Use a large cast iron dutch oven with a high rim when boiling pasta water.
- Use a high quality nonstick skillet to prepare the marjoram sauce then toss in the cooked Corzetti.
- Reserve a little bit of the pasta water and whisk into the olive oil. This helps create a thickened sauce.
- We used a rolling pin to form the pasta dough but you could also use a pasta maker.
- If you can’t find a Corzetti Stamp you can always use the rim of a white wine glass or water glass to form the pasta coins.
- We’ve used pine nuts in this recipe but you could also substitue with roasted hazelnuts.
- We suggest using a dry white wine in the pasta dough such as Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio.
- If you can’t find fresh thyme feel free to substitute for the herbs cousin, oregano.
What To Serve with Ligurian Pasta
There’s nothing more comforting than cozying up to a plate of fresh homemade pasta!
If you’re hosting an Italian-themed dinner party feel free to serve Corzetti in a buffet alongside Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu, Cheesy Polenta, Ricotta Gnocchi, Creamy Warm Orzo Lemon Salad, Involtini di Pollo, Parmesan Ditalini Soup, Aperol Gin Cocktails and Amaretto Disaronno Sour.
For a light lunch or dinner, pair this stamped pasta with fresh salads like Vegetarian Roasted Pumpkin Feta Salad, Roasted Beetroot Salad, Garlic Lemon Chickpea Avocado Salad and Fennel, Apple, Celery and Roasted Hazelnut Salad.
After dinner why not dazzle your guests with one of our popular desserts such as Kardemummabullar Swedish Cardamom Buns , Gevulde Speculaas, Turmeric Pumpkin Spice Indian Cake, Chewy Easter Toffee Cadbury Mini Egg Cookie Bars, Oat Flour Cookies with Chocolate Chips, Dark Chocolate Lindt Lindor Cookies, Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes Recipe or Cinnamon Babka For Chocolate Lovers.
Storing Fresh Pasta
If you have leftover cooked Corzetti you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Toss the pasta coins in olive oil to ensure they don’t stick together before storing them in the fridge. To reheat simply zap in the microwave or warm in a nonstick skillet with a few glugs of chicken stock or white wine.
If you have a lot of leftovers (and we do suggest doubling the recipe to make good use of your time) we suggest boiling all of the Corzetti, as the raw dough does not freeze well (it cracks and falls apart when frozen).
Fill your favourite casserole dish with leftover boiled Corzetti, top with tomato sauce or pesto sauce and shredded mozzarella or parmesan cheese. Wrap in tin foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Place the frozen Corzetti pasta casserole in the fridge the day before you hope to enjoy it for dinner. Once partially thawed, bake in a 350 F oven for 30-45 minutes.
You May Also Enjoy Reading…
- Mizeria Creamy Polish Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Easy Creamy Warm Orzo Lemon Salad
- Easy Healthy Roasted Vegetable Couscous Recipe
- How To Make Healthy Sweet Potato Rice
- How To Make The Best Canadian Salad Recipe
- Healthy Garlic Lemon Chickpea Avocado Salad
- Easy Healthy Vegetarian French Onion Soup Recipe
- Cajun Louisiana Cream of Shrimp Soup Recipe
- Lebanese Lentil Soup Recipe: Healthy Adas Bil Hamod
- Ajiaco Cubano Recipe: Healthy Cuban Soup with Chicken
- Traditional Polish Sour Rye Zurek Soup Recipe
- Swedish Sandwich Cake: Easy Homemade Smorgastarta Recipe
- Chinese Ginger Garlic Soup Recipe for Colds
- Easy Citrus “Rojak” Singapore Salad Recipe
- Easy Homemade Jamaican Chicken Soup with Dumplings Recipe
- Vegetarian Roasted Pumpkin Feta Salad with Beetroot & Pine Nuts
- Healthy Roasted Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup Recipe
- Healthy Roasted Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup Recipe
Corzetti Pasta Video
Best Corzetti Pasta Recipe
Traditional Corzetti Pasta
Equipment
- Corzetti Pasta Stamp
- mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Whisk or Fork
- Rolling pin
- Skillet
- cheese grater
Ingredients
Corzetti Pasta
- 600 g 00 Pasta Flour
- 5 Egg Yolks beaten
- 1 Large Egg beaten
- 2/3 cup Dry White Wine
Marjoram Dressing
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 115 g Pine Nuts
- 30 g Marjoram
- 3 Garlic Cloves sliced
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
Instructions
- Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the middle. Add the beaten egg yolk and whole egg. Use a fork to mix the flour into the eggs and then slowly pour in the wine. Bring the dough together and knead until smooth, approximately 10 minutes. Cover with a tea towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Roll out the dough with a lightly floured rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3 mm.
- If you have a stamp, use the cup end of the block to stamp out the circles in the dough with a "press and twist motion." Place the disc on the engraved end of the stamp black and press down with the handle. The result is a beautiful double sided embossed corzetto. If you don't have a stamp simply use a small wine glass or circular cookie cutter.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook for 4 minutes, until the pasta tastes al dente. Drain well.
- While the pasta is cooking, warm the olive oil in a small pan and add the pine nuts, marjoram and garlic. Simmer for 4 minutes, until the nuts turn a golden brown. Remove the garlic cloves and pour the dressing over the pasta and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Serve hot.
Nutrition
Some of the links in this story use affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through our site, Dobbernationloves will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps us to produce comprehensive content.
Save this story to Pinterest!
