Capunsei
Capunsei are rustic Mantuan breadcrumb dumplings from the morainic hills, gently poached and served bathed in golden sage butter with Grana Padano cheese.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heatproof mixing bowl
- •Large saucepan
- •Large frying pan
- •Slotted spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 32 g
- carbs
- 44 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 18 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the fine breadcrumbs into a large heatproof mixing bowl.
- 2
Pour the boiling beef broth evenly over the breadcrumbs and stir quickly to scald the mixture.
- 3
Add seventy grams of melted butter, minced garlic, nutmeg, and salt to the warm breadcrumbs.
- 4
Leave the mixture to cool for ten minutes until comfortable to handle.
- 5
Stir in the beaten eggs and grated Grana Padano until a soft, pliable dough comes together.
- 6
Roll walnut-sized portions between your palms into cylindrical dumplings with slightly tapered ends.
- 7
Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- 8
Melt eighty grams of butter in a wide frying pan with the sage leaves until foaming and fragrant.
- 9
Lower the capunsei into the simmering water and poach for three to four minutes until they float.
- 10
Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon directly into the warm sage butter.
- 11
Gently swirl the pan to coat the dumplings, then divide among warm bowls and top with extra cheese.
Chef's tips
Scalding the breadcrumbs with genuinely boiling broth is crucial because heat gelatinises the starches and binds the dumplings without extra flour. If your dough feels too dry and brittle to roll, work in an extra tablespoon of warm broth.
Ingredient substitutions
- beef broth → rich vegetable stock for a vegetarian version
- Grana Padano → Parmigiano Reggiano
Storage
Keep leftover cooked dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a splash of water and a knob of fresh butter.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding the eggs while the scalded breadcrumb mixture is still boiling hot, which scrambles them.
- •Allowing the cooking water to boil violently, which breaks the delicate bread dumplings apart.
- •Using coarse panko instead of fine traditional breadcrumbs, resulting in a loose texture.
Serving suggestions
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