Meatless half-moon stuffed pasta from Parre in Val Seriana, Bergamo, filled with Grana Padano, breadcrumbs, egg and spices; dressed with browned butter and sage. Their boat-like shape recalls the cloth shoes once worn by Parre's mountain shepherds.
Rooted in the pastoral highlands of Val Seriana, Scarpinocc di Parre originated as a lean alternative to the meat-stuffed casoncelli: in an era when meat was a luxury, Parre shepherds developed a filling of mountain cheese, breadcrumbs and spices. The name derives from a folk anecdote — a child watching his mother shape the pasta exclaimed in local dialect that the parcels resembled 'scarpinocc', the handmade cloth shoes of the village. Historically the filling used 'öl motèl', a locally produced, extremely aged mountain hard cheese, in place of today's Grana Padano. The dish is central to Parre's feast of Saint Peter on 29 June and is celebrated each third Sunday of August at the Festa degli Scarpinocc. Scarpinocc di Parre is a certified PAT product and carries the Bergamo Chamber of Commerce quality mark.
Silky pasta skin yields to a dense, savory-nutty cheese filling perfumed with sage-scented browned butter; a gentle warmth from the spice blend lingers on the finish.
The egg-and-milk-enriched pasta dough develops gluten through kneading, producing a supple yet sturdy sheet that holds shape during boiling. Inside, Grana Padano's casein proteins form a dense matrix with breadcrumbs acting as binder; starch granules in the breadcrumbs absorb moisture during cooking, preventing a watery filling. The browned butter (beurre noisette) forms when milk solids undergo Maillard reactions above 140°C, releasing nutty, caramel-like compounds that amplify the cheese's savory depth.
Variations
Some households add parsley and garlic to the filling for a herbaceous note. In winter, mountain butter from the upper Val Seriana valleys is prized for its pronounced hay-grass aroma. Modern versions may blend a small amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano alongside Grana Padano.
On the Palate
Where Scarpinocc di Parre sits in the Italian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 1 hour 20 min
- 110 min
Prepare the filling: combine grated Grana Padano, breadcrumbs, one egg, softened butter, a splash of milk, minced parsley and garlic, and a pinch of mixed spices; stir to a uniform paste and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- 240 min
Make the dough: mound flour on a board, create a well, add two eggs, a splash of milk and a pinch of salt; knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic; cover and rest 30 minutes.
- 310 min
Roll the dough thin to about 1mm and cut into circles approximately 7cm in diameter.
- 415 min
Place a small ball of filling (5–6g) in the center of each disc; fold into a crescent and press the edges firmly together to seal completely.
Watch outPress the folded edge until you feel it grip and seal all the way round — any gap and the filling weeps out into the water.
- 55 min
Shape each piece by pressing the index finger along the curved sealed edge to create the characteristic boat-like central depression.
- 617 min
Cook in plenty of well-salted gently boiling water for 15–17 minutes until the pasta is cooked through.
- 75 min
Meanwhile, melt butter in a pan over medium heat, stirring, until golden-brown and nutty-smelling; add sage leaves and let them crisp for 30 seconds.
Watch outSwirl the butter until it turns hazelnut-brown and smells nutty — the milk solids browning is the whole flavor; a shade past and it tastes burnt.
- 83 min
Drain the parcels, transfer to a warm serving dish, pour the browned butter and sage over, and finish with a generous grating of Grana Padano.
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