Description
Vincisgrassi alla Maceratese TSG is a baked pasta that is made with specific ingredients and consists of three basic preparations: fresh egg pasta, offal sauce and béchamel, to which grated Parmigiano Reggiano PDO or Grana Padano PDO cheese is added.
Production Area
The traditional production area of Vincisgrassi alla Maceratese TSG originally referred to the Province of Macerata, in the Marche region.
Production Method
The recipe for Vincisgrassi alla Maceratese TSG is made up of three basic preparations, in the following proportions: 50-63% egg pasta, 30-40% sauce and 6-10% béchamel. In terms of ingredients, the product mostly stands out for its sauce. Its basic ingredients are fresh meat, divided into three typologies: chicken, duck, goose, rabbit, gander, including chicken necks, wings and legs, rabbit back (45-55%); veal or beef and pork – including coarsely ground or cut with a knife – with bones, marrow and muscle (35-40%); slices (stomachs and livers) of chicken, duck, goose, rabbit, duck, coarsely cut (10-15%). The other ingredients in the sauce are: tomato concentrate (0-15%), tomato purée (0-30%), dry white wine (2-5%), pig lard or cheek (0-5%), extra virgin olive oil (4-8%), celery (1-3%), carrot (1-3%), white onion infused with cloves (2-5%), grated Parmigiano Reggiano PDO or Grana Padano PDO (2-5%), whole UHT or pasteurized fresh milk (0-8%) and finally fresh aromatic herbs, salt, ground black pepper and water in the necessary quantity. Another of the product’s distinctive characteristics is the use of cooked wine or Marsala PDO in the egg pasta dough, a recipe that is regulated by specific ingredients and proportions, as is as that of the béchamel. The process is also characterised by the how the sauce is cooked: the meat is boiled slowly with herbs and tomatoes until the sauce is reduced by half and the meat is cooked thoroughly. The slices of meat, on the other hand, must be roasted separately with EVO oil and simmered with white wine, after which it is added to the sauce, which must then be cooked for a further 15 minutes. The final step is the composition of the dish: 7-8 layers of pasta must be alternated with sauce, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO or Grana Padano PDO and béchamel, while only sauce and cheese must be put in the last layer, so that a crispy crust forms. Vincisgrassi alla Maceratese TSG must then be baked at 180 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
Appearance and Flavour
The appearance of Vincisgrassi alla Maceratese TSG is characterised by 7-8 visible layers of egg pasta, béchamel and red meat sauce. The sauce is dark red, while the crust can vary from dark red to dark brown. The flavour is characterised by a slightly salty and bitter sensation, associated with the herbs in the stewed meat sauce, cooked cheese and béchamel. Its typical texture is created by the contrast between the crunchy crust and the soft layers of pasta.
History
Vincisgrassi – the recipe for which was codified in 1927, in Chef Cesare Tirabasso's “Guida in cucina” – has been noted since the Second World War, as evidenced by numerous publications, including Le ricette regionali italiane by Anna Gosetti Della Salda, published in 1967, and Le ricette d 'oro delle mejor osterie e trattorie italiana by Carlo Cambi, 2010.
Gastronomy
Vincisgrassi alla Maceratese TSG is a first course dish in Maceratese rural cuisine, in the past served on feast days, which is still paired with local red wines such as Lacrima di Morro d'Alba PDO and Rosso Piceno PDO.
Marketing
The product is marketed as Vincisgrassi alla Maceratese TSG all year round, and sold as baked pasta for immediate consumption and baked pasta for deferred consumption. The product can be stored in single portions both in baking trays and closed food containers.
Distinctive Features
Vincisgrassi alla Maceratese TSG differ from a regular baked pasta, mainly due to the tomato sauce containing coarsely cut meats, bones with marrow, and slices of courtyard animals, the egg pasta made with cooked wine or Marsala PDO, and the decisive use of herbs and spices.
