Mezzalune is a kind of fresh stuffed pasta very easy to make. The dough is your basic pasta dough with a creamy filling. If you’re a mushroom lover, you GOTTA try this. The filling is made from sautéed cremini, portabella mushrooms and Parmigiano Reggiano. The sauce is a sausage & saffron creamy delight.

You need a pasta machine, or lean muscles to roll it down paper-thin. Imperia is the best pasta machine ever. I brought it with me to the US (that was SO heavy) but I’ve seen it once at Marshalls (!!!) for $40. Williams-Sonoma sells it for $80. To make mezzalune, you also need a a round ravioli stamp or a wavy shaped round cookie cutter.

If you don’t have the pasta machine or just don’t have time, try Buitoni’s wild mushrooms agnolotti and multiply the flavor x1000!

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PASTA DOUGH
1.6 cups of flour
2 eggs
Salt

FOR THE FILLING
5 oz of Cremini mushrooms
5 oz of Portabella mushrooms
4 tbsp of EVO
2 tbsp of Italian Parsley, finely chopped
2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano
Salt & Pepper

FOR THE SAUCE 
2 bratwurst sausages or sweet sausage links, crumbled
6 tbsp of heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon of saffron
2 tbsp of Italian parsley, finely chopped

HOW-TO

PREP DOUGH & FILLING TO MAKE MEZZALUNE

1) See method & secrets to a perfect pasta dough here! While the dough is resting, start off with the filling. Clean and chop the mushrooms. Warm 4 tbsp of EVO in a wok or a large pan and sauté the mushrooms over medium heat. After 5/7 minutes, they will be releasing all the liquid and will be cooking in it. Add Parmigiano and let it cook for another 3 to 4 minutes till dried out. Use an immersion blender to reduce it to a crumbly mixture.

2) To prepare mezzalune, use the round ravioli stamp to cut out circle forms from your past a sheets, trying to make the most cuts out of each one. Place a small amount of the filling in the center and tap the border with water or white eggs to make sure the pasta stays together once folded. Fold in a half moon (mezzaluna) shape, pressing around the outside to there is no air left inside.

3) Re-knead all the leftovers and roll other sheets of pasta. Repeat this process until all filling is gone.

4) If you have pasta leftovers, make maltagliati out of them, let them dry on a wooden board and use them for your next soup. Maltagliati (p. mahl-tah-lyee-ah-tee) literally means “badly cut” and they’re made from scraps and offcuttings left over after other pastas have been made.

PREP THE SAUCE, DRESS & SERVE 

1) Fill a pot 2/3 of the way with salted water and bring it to boil.

2) Sear the crumble bratwurst in a shallow pan.

3) In a cup, dissolve the saffron in the heavy cream and add it to the sausage. Let is cook over low-heat so that the cream can thicken up a bit.

4) Add the mezzalune to the boiling water. It’s gonna take more or less 3 minutes. When they start bobbing up to the surface, they are ready. Use an asian strainer to drain.

5) Toss the mezzalune into the sauce, mix well and add freshly chopped parsley.

Enjoy – enjoy – enjoy!