Casoncelli Pasta In Bergamo, Italy
Slightly Northeast of Milan lies Bergamo, an enchanting little hilltop town dating back thousands of years. Bergamo is situated where the plains of Lombardy rise towards the Alps, whose peaks form a gorgeous backdrop for the town. The geography of Bergamo mirrors this split: there is the lower town, Città Bassa, on level ground and the upper town, Città Alta, perched on a hill.
The lower town is the more modern, sprawling part of Bergamo while the upper town is the medieval centre of the town. Citta Alta is where most tourists stay, and where our hotel was, for there you are surrounded by medieval towers, ornate churches and spectacular views. We were visiting friends who live in Citta Bassa, and enjoyed strolling down a scenic, steeply sloped walking trail with lots of steps that took us from the top to the bottom. It was such an enchanting walk though narrow cobbled lanes with ochre walled buildings on either side glowing warmly in the late-afternoon sun that we barely noticed the distance. On the return trip though, the thought of retracing our steps, only uphill this time, made us pause. Fortunately we had the option of taking a funicular that whisked us back up to our hotel!
The mediaeval town was built on its hill-top perch where it could be easily defended, and it is still surrounded by six kilometres of protective walls that are an attraction in their own right. The heart of the town is the Piazza Vecchia, dominated by the Campanone, a bell tower that still tolls at 10 pm when the city gates were supposed to close. Fortunately for us the rules are no longer enforced since that is about the time the nightlife in Bergamo just gets started.
The centre of the piazza is occupied by the Contarini Fountain that features statues of sphinxes spitting out water. One entire side of the piazza is taken up by the Biblioteca Civica Angelo Mai, which must be among the most beautiful public library buildings in the world.
The other side of the piazza is occupied by the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, a stunning church that was first made in the 12th century. The piazza is a lively place, lined with cafes that gave us a great vantage point to sit back, enjoy the beautiful architecture on all sides, and watch the crowds going past. After that it was usually time to try out one of the many restaurants that serve everything from burrata laden pizza to delicious handmade pasta.
The pasta traditionally eaten in Bergamo is casoncelli, served on the menu of every restaurant in town. Originally a humble dish in which leftover meat was stuffed in pasta, it is now the pride of Bergamo and made with a rich filling of pears, beef, pork, spices and a variety of other ingredients that are precisely specified.
Bergamo is justifiably proud of its culinary heritage and the day we were there was the annual Casoncelli Festival, which featured cooking demonstrations on outdoor tables, pasta tastings and exhibits recounting its fascinating history. Posters showed the first recipe for casoncelli to appear in a cookbook. Other stories were more sinister, like that of the lovers who eliminated the woman’s husband by stuffing his casoncelli with poison!
After reliving the storied history of Casoncelli alla Bergamasca, we had to try it for ourselves. It did not disappoint! Stuffed with lightly spiced tender meat, topped with crisp pancetta and fried sage leaves, liberally sprinkled with fresh parmesan cheese, it was an immediate addiction for us, one that we gave in to at every meal!
If you happen to tire of eating casoncelli at every meal, you can try the sumptuous pizza on offer at Il Fornaio where each delectable slice of pizza is topped with an entire burrata, warmed till molten just for you! Remember to top it off with a gelato from one of the many gelatarias dotting Citta Alta!
