Corzetti pasta is a stamped shape from Liguria in northwest Italy. Cooks press thin dough rounds between two carved stamps, which leaves a raised pattern on the surface.
The shape comes in two styles, and the raised design on each piece helps sauce cling. Knowing which style you have tells you how to cook it and what to serve with it.
Where Corzetti Pasta Comes From
Corzetti pasta originated in Liguria, near the border with France, during the Middle Ages. The name is traced to the corzetto, a 14th-century Genoese coin.
Corzetti are still made in small batches near Genoa, where fresh trofie pasta with pesto is another Ligurian staple. Stamped versions are also traditional around Novi Ligure in the province of Alessandria, just over the Piedmont border. Wikipedia’s corzetti entry records both areas and the coin link, which is a useful starting point for the history.
Wikipedia ties the name to the corzetto, a 14th-century Genoese coin, which fits the round, stamped look of the pasta.
Two Styles of Corzetti
Corzetti come in two common styles: stamped rounds about 4 cm across, and small hand-pinched figure-eights about 1 cm long. Both carry the same name, so check which one a recipe or shop product means before you buy a stamp or plan a sauce.
Stamped corzetti, often called corzetti stampati, are thin rounds with embossed decoration. Most pieces carry a pattern on both sides. The figure-eight style comes from Val Polcevera, a valley near Genoa, and it is shaped without any stamp, much like the hand-formed fazzoletti pasta of the same region.
If you are choosing between the two, pick stamped rounds when you want the traditional look of corzetti pasta on a plate and you are ready to buy or borrow a stamp. Pick the figure-eight style when you have no stamp and want a hands-on project that needs only a rolling pin and a clean counter.
| Feature | Stamped rounds | Val Polcevera figure-eights |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Round, embossed on both sides | Figure-eight, pinched by hand |
| Size | About 4 cm across | About 1 cm long |
| How it is made | Pressed in a carved stamp, by hand or machine | Rolled, stretched and pinched, with no stamp |
| Common sauces | Pesto, meat, mushroom, light cream | Pine-nut sauce, meat sauce or mushrooms |
Dough for the Figure-Eight Style
The Val Polcevera version starts with 500 g of wheat flour, 3 eggs, salt, and lukewarm water added as needed. Visit Genoa’s corzetti guide describes the dough and the rest it needs, at least half an hour under a dry cloth.
Whichever dough you choose, corzetti pasta rests before shaping so the dough is easier to handle and keeps its form.
Roll a small piece of dough between your palms and stretch it slightly. Pinch the middle with your index finger and thumb to form the 8, then let the pieces dry before cooking.
How Corzetti Are Stamped
Stamped corzetti are cut from a rolled sheet into rounds, pressed between two carved stamps, and then left to dry. The stamps are usually hand-carved wood, though bronze dies are also used. If you plan to buy one, look at the material and the size of the design first, because a stamp meant for rounds of about 4 cm will leave a different pattern than a small decorative die, and a deeply carved face prints a clearer relief on the dough.
Stamped corzetti pasta is often finished with a light hand, since the design is the main feature and heavy sauce can hide it.
Roll the sheet thin enough that the stamp can imprint a clear pattern, then cut the rounds and leave them to dry for a while. The pasta is firmer after drying, which keeps the embossed detail sharp when it hits the boiling water.
The dough for stamped corzetti is usually flour, water and salt. Egg dough is also used, and some cooks add white wine. For a general method, see this fresh pasta dough recipe. Stamping can be done by hand or by machine, and hand-stamped pieces tend to be more elaborate.
In Italy, corzetti sometimes serve as wedding favors. For those events, a maker may cut a custom die so guests can press their own corzetti at home, with a design chosen for the occasion.
The raised ridges do more than decorate. They give the surface extra grip, which helps sauce cling to each piece. Designs differ from stamp to stamp, and the common motifs include:
- A cross, which is linked to the name croxetti
- Fruit, family initials and a mortar and pestle
- Sailboats and palm trees
Because the design is carved into the stamp, every stamped piece of corzetti pasta from the same die looks alike, while hand-stamped work varies from one piece to the next.
Historically, the fancier side of a stamp showed a family coat of arms, which marked wealth and status. Today it usually shows a regional coat of arms or a maker’s trademark.
How to Cook and Serve Corzetti
Cook corzetti pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until tender, and taste a piece to check the texture. Cooking time depends on whether the pasta is fresh or dried and how thick it is, so start tasting early.
Because the stamped surface grabs sauce, choose a sauce thick enough to cling to the ridges, such as pesto or a meat sauce, rather than a thin broth that runs off the pasta.
Reserve a little of the cooking water before you drain the pasta. Several recipes use it to loosen the sauce so it coats each piece evenly. Common sauces include:
- Pesto
- Pine-nut or walnut sauce
- A simple meat sauce
- Mushroom sauce, called tocco de funzi
- Fish sauce or a light cream sauce
Taste the sauce before you add the corzetti pasta, since salted cooking water and a salty sauce such as pesto or fish sauce can push the seasoning too far when combined.
Visit Genoa’s corzetti page notes that figure-eight corzetti are traditionally eaten dry, with pine-nut sauce as the ideal seasoning. Meat sauce and mushrooms are also listed as good matches.
For a weeknight meal, a bowl of corzetti pasta with a spoonful of pesto and a little reserved cooking water is a simple way to taste the shape at its best.
Names and Regional Variants
Corzetti pasta goes by several names across northern Italy, including croxetti, croset and crosetti. Each name points to the same basic idea of a stamped or shaped disc.
Whatever the label, the core idea stays the same: a dough disc or small shape that catches sauce in its surface and in its shape.
On a menu, look for corzetti stampati to signal the stamped style. Labels that only say corzetti can mean either shape, so ask the kitchen or read the product description before you assume.
In Piedmont the pasta is often called croset, and in Emilia-Romagna it is known as crosetti. A Piedmontese pasta with a similar name is closer in shape to orecchiette, so check the recipe before you assume the two are the same. Torsellini is another name you may see on menus or in older cookbooks. For the ear-shaped pasta itself, see orecchiette pasta. For another regional stuffed shape, read about cappellacci pasta, the hat-shaped pasta from Ferrara.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Corzetti Pasta?
Corzetti pasta is a flat, coin-shaped pasta from Liguria, shaped with a carved stamp or pinched by hand into small figure-eights. It is usually made from wheat flour, water and salt, and sometimes with eggs. Its name is linked to the corzetto, a 14th-century Genoese coin.
Are Corzetti the Same as Orecchiette?
No, they are different shapes, although some Piedmontese versions come close to orecchiette. Stamped corzetti are round and embossed, while orecchiette are small ear-shaped discs. Check the name and the recipe before you buy.
Can I Make Corzetti Without a Stamp?
Yes. The Val Polcevera figure-eight style is shaped by hand, with no stamp at all. Roll a small piece of dough, stretch it slightly, and pinch the middle to form the 8.
Where Is Corzetti Pasta Made Today?
Corzetti are still made in small batches near Genoa, and stamped versions are traditional around Novi Ligure in Alessandria province.
What Sauce Goes Best With Corzetti?
Pesto, pine-nut or walnut sauce, and a simple meat sauce are all traditional pairings. Visit Genoa notes that figure-eight corzetti are traditionally eaten dry, with pine-nut sauce as the ideal seasoning. Mushroom and light cream sauces also suit the shape.
Is Corzetti Pasta Made With Eggs?
It depends on the style. The stamped version is commonly made from flour, water and salt, though egg dough is also used. The Val Polcevera figure-eight dough uses 3 eggs for 500 g of flour, so check the recipe you follow.
If you want the classic look of corzetti pasta, choose the stamped rounds and start with pesto or a light cream sauce. For a simpler, hands-on project, the figure-eight style needs no stamp and works well with a pine-nut sauce.