Cjarsons

This first course, with its sweet flavour, will allow you to dive into the Friulian tradition. We're talking about cjarsons!

Cjarsons are a type of filled pasta typical of Friulian cuisine, to be more precise than Carnia. There are as many as 50 different versions, all sharing the subtle balance of flavor between sweet and savory filling. The seasoning, however, is always the same: clarified butter (in the local dialect it is called ont ) and smoked ricotta . In addition to this, what you need to know about Friulian cjarsons is that none of its 50 versions include a meat-based filling.

Originally the external casing was based on potatoes but today the most widespread version is obtained with a mixture based on water and flour . A book could be written about the filling: the basic ingredients are ricotta or potatoes, chard, cinnamon, raisins, cocoa, biscuits and biscuits. There is also no shortage of other versions, equally delicious but perhaps less characteristic. In short, we advise you to try the cjarsons recipe without too many prejudices: you will be truly impressed by their particular flavour.

How to prepare the Friulian cjarson recipe

1. Combine the flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
2. Add lots of warm water until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous mixture ( start with 250 ml and continue until you obtain the desired consistency).
3. Leave the dough to rest while you continue with the preparations.
4. Now prepare the filling by starting to boil the potatoes in boiling salted water.
5. When they are ready, drain them, peel them and mash them in a bowl.
6. Wash and cut the chard into strips, cook them in a pan with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt until they are wilted.
7. Squeeze them well to remove excess water , then place them in a bowl together with the potatoes.
8. Add the fresh ricotta, cocoa and cinnamon, the grated lemon zest and the raisins soaked in a spoonful of rum.
9. Also add the crumbled dry biscuits and chopped aromatic herbs, mix everything until you obtain a homogeneous mixture even if coarse and in pieces. If you have difficulty mixing everything well, add 1 egg.
10. Take the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin or machine as thin as possible and cut out circles of about 6-7 cm in diameter with a glass or pastry cutter.
11. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each disk, close tightly and, as they are ready, place them on a tray dusted with semolina.
12. Boil the sweet cjarsons in boiling salted water and drain them as soon as they float to the surface .
13. Season them with melted butter and finish the dish with a generous grating of smoked ricotta.

Despite the sweetness of the filling, cjarsons were and remain a first course. Put aside your mistrust and try them because it's really worth it. Furthermore, for a dinner dedicated to Friuli Venezia Giulia you can also try your hand at preparing frico .

storage

Like all filled pasta, this can also be kept in the refrigerator for a day or frozen . In this case, spread it on a tray, place it in the freezer and once hardened, collect it in freezer bags, preferably already portioned.