Sacchetti, meaning “little sacks” or “small bags” in Italian, are a type of filled pasta similar in shape to ravioli. Smaller than their better-known cousin, sacchetti feature delicate squares or rounds of ultra-thin pasta dough stuffed with a savory filling. When cooked properly, the thin pasta pillows become tender yet retain their shape and pillowy texture. Elegant yet humble, sacchetti are equally at home in refined restaurant dishes as they are on a home cook’s weeknight table.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know to start shaping restaurant-quality sacchetti at home. So tie on an apron, grab a rolling pin, and get ready to become a sacchetti shaping pro!
Equipment and Ingredients for Sacchetti
Before you begin, you’ll need to stock your kitchen with a few essential pieces of equipment and ingredients. Though you can make do with simpler tools, having items designed specifically for Sacchetti pasta recipe will make your shaping much easier.
Essential Equipment
- Pasta machine: This is the most indispensable tool for shaping evenly thin sheets of dough. Choose a machine with an adjustable roller width.
- Rolling pin: Opt for a lightweight French pin without handles for maximum maneuverability.
- Pastry brush: Use to dust excess flour off dough sheets. Choose one with soft, natural bristles.
- Pasta cutters: Specialized fluted cutters will cut and crimp dough simultaneously. Plain square or round cutters also work.
- Ravioli mold: This handy tool stamps out even pasta squares or rounds and features handy filling indentations.
- Dough scraper: Use a bench scraper to portion dough and lift delicate pasta sheets.
- Tongs: Long, thin tongs allow you to gently maneuver the pasta squares.
Key Ingredients
- Flour: “00” flour, made from soft wheat, is the gold standard, but all-purpose also works. Mix in some semolina for added texture.
- Eggs: Choose large eggs with bright orange yolks for flavor and richness. Allow eggs to come to room temperature before using.
- Fillings: Everything from cheese to meat to vegetables can fill sacchetti. See filling ideas below.
- Salt: Fine sea salt enhances flavor.
- Water: Use cool water to bring dough together.
Choosing the Perfect Sacchetti Dough
The type of dough you choose will impact the flavor and texture of your sacchetti. Here are some top options to consider:
All-Purpose Flour Dough
This simple dough of flour, eggs, oil, and salt makes tender yet sturdy pasta. It’s a great choice when starting out.
“00” Flour Dough
This soft Italian flour creates delicate, silky sheets perfect for thin-skinned sacchetti that melt in your mouth.
Semolina Dough
The coarse texture of semolina flour lends sacchetti an irresistible toothsome, wheaty flavor.
Whole Wheat Dough
Swapping out some all-purpose for whole wheat flour boosts the nutrition of your pasta with a pleasantly hearty flavor.
Spinach Dough
Blending in cooked, chopped spinach gives you vibrant green sacchetti flecked with vegetables.
Black Pepper Dough
Add a teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper for a spicy kick. Let the pepper’s volatile oils fully infuse the dough.
Saffron Dough
Steep a pinch of saffron threads in the water before mixing your dough for vivid golden pasta with exotic aromas.
Beet Dough
Puree cooked beets and use the juice to color your dough a vivid fuchsia. Go light on eggs to let the beet flavor shine through.
Experiment to find your favorite dough or mix up the types for an eye-catching assortment of sacchetti.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Shaping Sacchetti
Once you’ve gathered your equipment and chosen a dough recipe, it’s time to start shaping. Follow these steps for flawless, restaurant-quality results:
1. Make the dough.
Combine your chosen ingredients in a mixing bowl or stand mixer. Knead until smooth and elastic. Cover the dough and let rest for 20-30 minutes.
2. Portion the dough.
Cut the dough into workable portions. Dust each lightly with flour if sticky. Keep unused dough covered while working.
3. Roll out the dough.
Start with the widest setting on your pasta machine. Feed each portion through, folding and re-rolling until smooth. Decrease width and roll again until dough is paper-thin.
4. Cut into shapes.
Use a fluted cutter, plain cutter, or ravioli mold to cut dough into squares or circles. For half-moon crescents, no cutter is needed. Reroll scraps to use all the dough.
5. Add filling.
Place a small scoop of filling into the center of each shape. Brush edges lightly with water to help seal.
6. Seal the dough.
Pick up two dough pieces with filling centered between them. Press edges together firmly to seal, pressing out any air bubbles.
7. Crimp the edges.
For square sacchetti, use the tines of a fork to crimp sealed edges. For rounds or crescents, pinch edges together.
8. Let rest before cooking.
Place shaped sacchetti on a floured sheet pan, not touching. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to help seals set.
And that’s it – you now have beautiful homemade sacchetti ready for cooking and serving!
Cooking Your Sacchetti Perfectly
Sacchetti require very careful cooking to ensure the tender pasta and fillings are heated through without overcooking. Follow these pro tips:
- Use plenty of water – at least 4 quarts for 1 pound of pasta. Sacchetti are delicate and can stick together if crowded.
- Generously salt the cooking water until it tastes like seawater. This infuses flavor into the pasta.
- Let water come to a steady boil before adding pasta. Then gently drop in sacchetti one by one.
- Stir initially to prevent sticking, but avoid constant stirring which can damage delicate pasta.
- Cook for just 1-3 minutes once water returns to a boil, until sacchetti float to the top. They will seem underdone.
- Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to gently transfer cooked sacchetti to a serving dish. Reserve pasta cooking water.
- Toss sacchetti with a bit of sauce and cooking water. The starch in the water helps coat and bind the sauce to the pasta.
- Serve immediately in warmed bowls for the hottest, most delicious sacchetti experience. Buon appetito!
Creative Filling Ideas for Sacchetti
The wonderful thing about sacchetti is you can fill them with almost any combination of cheeses, vegetables, meats, seafood, and herbs. Here are some tasty filling ideas to inspire you:
Classic Cheese Fillings
- Ricotta, parmesan, nutmeg, and spinach
- Mascarpone and orange zest
- Goat cheese, caramelized onions, and thyme
- Burrata, basil, and crushed tomatoes
- Fresh mozzarella, broccoli rabe, garlic, and chili flakes
Meat and Seafood Fillings
- Chicken, roasted peppers, pesto, and fontina
- Sausage, kale, pecorino, and walnuts
- Shrimp, zucchini, lemon zest, and parmesan
- Seared scallops, corn, and tarragon
- Prosciutto and provolone with fig jam
Vegetable and Herb Fillings
- Butternut squash, amaretti crumbs, sage and parmesan
- Caramelized leeks, mushrooms, and truffle oil
- Shelled peas, ricotta, mint, and lemon zest
- Mashed roasted eggplant, garlic, and marjoram
- Spinach, artichoke hearts, and asiago
Feel free to mix and match flavors that appeal to you. The beauty of homemade sacchetti is you control the fillings!
Serving Ideas to Showcase Your Sacchetti
You’ve put in all the effort to make gorgeous sacchetti – now it’s time to serve them with style! Here are some ideas:
- For an appetizer, serve 6-8 sacchetti per person, family-style, with small bowls of sauce for dipping.
- Incorporate sacchetti into a soup, floating them directly in the broth before serving.
- Toss cooked sacchetti with veggies like snap peas, cherry tomatoes and pesto for a light springtime meal.
- For an elegant dinner party, top seared scallop and corn sacchetti with beurre blanc or champagne sauce.
- Make mini dessert sacchetti stuffed with chocolate ganache and fruits, served warm with ice cream.
- Fry breaded sacchetti until golden and serve with marinara sauce for an upscale pasta pomodoro.
However you choose to serve them, your hand-shaped sacchetti are sure to be a memorable culinary experience for any occasion!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between sacchetti and ravioli?
The main difference is size. Sacchetti are smaller, with a diameter of about 1 inch, compared to 2 to 3 inches for ravioli. Sacchetti pasta dough also tends to be thinner and more delicate than ravioli dough.
What can I use to cut sacchetti if I don’t have a pasta cutter?
Round biscuit cutters or the rim of a glass work well for cutting circular sacchetti. An empty tuna can with both ends removed can be used to cut strips to make crescent shaped sacchetti.
Should I freeze leftover uncooked sacchetti?
Yes, freezing helps prevent the wrappers from drying out and makes it easy to cook a fresh batch later. Place them in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze solid. Then transfer to freezer bags. They’ll keep 6-8 months.
If sacchetti fall open while cooking, can I still serve them?
Absolutely! Transfer them gently with a slotted spoon to prevent further tearing. Sauce will help bind any filling that escapes back to the pasta. Just be sure to eat them right away before they overcook.
What wines pair well with sacchetti?
Rich, buttery Chardonnay is a classic pairing. For meat fillings, try an earthy Pinot Noir. Vegetarian sacchetti pair nicely with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Sparkling wines are always a fun, elegant option too!
Conclusion
Hopefully you now feel confident in your skills to start shaping stunning sacchetti at home. With quality ingredients, the right equipment, and a bit of practice, you’ll be a master pasta maker in no time. Embark on the magic of round cookie cutters: A culinary journey and discover the enchanting world of sacchetti, where the effort is well worth it as you create steaming platters of tender, homemade pasta pouches bursting with flavorful fillings. Get ready to impress family and friends with your impressive new culinary talent, and just be prepared for many requests for your sensational sacchetti recipes!
