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corzetti alla Genovese

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This is a pasta dish generally found only in Liguria and especially Genoa. It is a flat disc, with a stamped image on both sides. The images are taken from those of old Genoese money.

Corzetti can be made from white or whole wheat flour, or frequently chestnut flour. It is possible, fortunately, to purchase pre-made corzetti.

Or, if you are fortunate enough to own a corzetti stamp, so much the better. Easy to use. Make fresh pasta, and do not run it through the last setting on the pasta machine -- too thin.

The bottom of this ingenious device is like a cookie cutter. Cut the sheets of pasta into discs. Let settle for a few minutes.

For the adventurous, we have found a place to purchase one of these beautifully crafted discs: www.artisanalpastatools.com.

The stamp also separates in the middle. Lightly flour the two images of the press. Put a disc on the lower half, which has an image. Lightly press the upper half, which also has an image, on it, and presto: a corzetti. Do all the discs, spread out on baking sheets lined with clean, dry dish towels, and ideally refrigerate, uncovered, over night. If you try to cook the pasta too soon after stamping, the images disappear!

for the sauce:

twelve tablespoons sweet butter
one-third cup of toasted pine nuts
one tablespoon chopped marjoram
salt and freshly ground pepper.
one quarter cup freshly grated parmesan

for the pasta:

one pound freshly-made egg pasta corzetti

Crush the pine nuts and marjoram together, ideally with a mortar and pestle. Put the butter in a saute pan and melt. Add the pine nuts and marjoram mixture, a half teaspoon of salt, a twist or two of the pepper mill, and saute until the butter for three minutes over a medium heat.

Heat 4-5 quarts of cold water to a roiling boil, add a tablespoon or so of salt, drop in the pasta, and stir regularly until it is al dente. Do not overcook; the corzetti should retain a bite. Drain.

Put the pasta on the serving plates and cover with the sauce and add the parmesan. Stir gently and serve.