About the Recipe
Pisarei e Fasò is a traditional dish from the province of Piacenza in the Emilia-Romagna region. The pisarei are small, handmade gnocchi historically made from a dough of stale breadcrumbs, flour, and water, pinched into their distinctive shape. They are served in a sauce (fasò) of stewed borlotti beans, tomato, onions, carrots, celery, and lard or pancetta. The dish originates from rural cuisine as a hearty, inexpensive meal and is served as a substantial first course (primo piatto).
Ingredients
400 g Flour
150 g Stale white breadcrumbs
350-380 ml Warm water
1 Medium onion peeled, finely chopped
1 tbsp Olive oil
50 g Butter, unsalted
30 g Strutto or lard
2 Garlic cloves peeled, crushed
600 g Tomato passata
100 ml Water
1 tbsp Tomato puree
400 g Tinned borlotti beans drained
Salt and pepper to season
Small bunch parsley chopped
10 Basil leaves torn
Preparation
Step 1
Into a bowl tumble in the breadcrumbs and flour, stir. Make a well in the centre and slowly add the water. Form the mixture into a ball of dough. Knead for 4 minutes on a lightly floured surface until elastic and smooth. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Once rested, cut the dough into four portions. Roll each quarter out into thin sausages. Using a knife cut small pieces of dough. Using your thumb push each small piece of dough and make a concave dent. The pasta should not be too thick and should be the size of a swollen borlotti bean. Continue making the pasta and place each dumpling onto a clean tea-towel to dry a little whilst you make the sauce.
Step 3
Into a shallow saucepan add the butter, olive oil and onion. Fry off the onion for two minutes over a low heat until softened. Add the strutto or lard, garlic and parsley. Stir well. Pour in the passata along with the water, tomato puree and drained borlotti beans. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Cook slowly for 30 minutes.
Step 4
Cook the pisarei (pasta dumplings) in salted water until aldente. Drain reserving a small ladle of the starchy pasta water. Add the pasta and water to the sauce and stir gently. Add the basil leaves. Serve in bowls with some grated parmesan.