In the Marche, lasagna is not eaten, vincisgrassi is cooked. Here's where to eat them in Macerata, how to prepare them and the difference with the ancient version of the princisgras
A lasagna? No. In the Marche there are the vincisgrassi. Seven layers of pasta rolled by hand, dipped in béchamel and an old-style ragù, where the flavor of the regattas dominates. It is the dish of Sunday, that of the grandmother. Born between Ancona and Macerata at the end of the eighteenth century, today, thanks also to a work of territorial promotion, the vincisgrassi are back in vogue and tourists (especially foreign ones) ask them more and more often.
The vincisgrassi recipe (no grams, you go to eye)
If you want to prepare puff pastry by hand, you need eight eggs for a kilo of flour. No water. A dough that comes from the rural tradition and that ensures unique porosity and consistency. The substantial difference that makes the vincisgrassi very different from lasagna is all in the ragù. Indeed, the vincisgrassi contemplate chicken regattas. Moreover, the sauce is made with mixed meat from the farmyard. The allowed ingredients are goose, duck, chicken, rabbit and pork. The ground beef is banned instead. This is because the ancient "lines" used what the courtyard offered. Celery, carrot and onion (with some skewered cloves) are fried in large pieces, so that they can be easily removed at the end of cooking. Then brown the coarsely chopped meat and blend with the white wine. Add tomato paste, of the puree, and add water to cover. Slow boiling is another of the secrets. A "slow" ragù, which will be ready when it is reduced to about a third compared to the beginning of cooking.
The final touch: the chicken regattas
When the sauce is cooked, it is essential to add the regaglie, previously chopped and browned with a little oil in the pan. It is at this point that the flavor of the sauce becomes unmistakable. Free from odors and any bones, the sauce should be rather liquid. To make the vincisgrassi you need at least seven layers of puff pastry that are placed one on top of the other and sprinkled with the sauce and the béchamel made with milk, butter and a little flour. To taste it should also be added grated cheese (traditionally it was the caciotta of sheep or mixed milk) especially on the last layer. Finally put in the oven and brown at 200 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Where to taste them in Macerata, in the Princisgras version
In Macerata, a restaurant has made it its flag. Is theOsteria dei Fiori, in the historic center, which the three brothers Iginia, Letizia and Paolo Carducci, founded in 1980. On the menu there is also a cultured version of the legendary first course of the Marche documented in a cookbook from 1779: i princisgras. It is a gastronomic gem, at the time the prerogative of the nobility of the eighteenth century, later transformed into the popular and peasant version (in red). "Tourists arrive already documented on both dishes – says Chef Iginia Carducci – An English gentleman, recently, sat down and even asked for the corner portion in the pan". The most crunchy part of the vincisgrassi, the one that children like so much, in fact, is precisely that of the corner, where the crust is more present and inviting. In the center, instead, an explosion of creaminess.
At the Osteria dei Fiori in Macerata, the original recipe that dates back to 1779 is faithfully reproduced and from which the vincisgrassi are supposed to have been inspired. Unraveling with the units of measurement of time, here is the original text for those who want to try their hand at princisgras.
"Take half a pound of persciutto, make it into small dice, with four quarters of fine sliced tartufari; from then take a leaf and a half of milk, dilute it in a casserole with three ounces of flour, put it in a stove putting some persciutto, and tartufari, always handling until so much that it begins to boil, and must boil for half an hour; then you will put half a pound of fresh cream, mixing everything to make it join together; then make a pearl of tagliolini with two sheep and four reds inside; roll it out not so thin and cut it for use by mostaccioli from Naples, not so large; cook them with half the broth and half water, season with salt; take the dish that you have to put on the table: you can make a border of frigè pasta around the said dish to retain the sauce in it, so that it does not give out when you put it in the oven, while it should be made to take a little swarm; cooked that you will have the lasagna, take them out and put them in Parmesan cheese and go to the aforementioned plate, with a solaro de salsa, butirro and cheese and the other de lasagna, and put them on the flat, and you will do it for as long as you have. finished filling this plate; we must warn that above it must finish the sauce with butter and parmesan cheese and finished, put it in the oven to make him make his swarm … (Antonio Nebbia, Il Cuoco Maceratese)
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