Nosecc Bergamaschi: the taste of Bergamo’s Winter

02/09/2026

When you step out of the house in the morning and the sharp air nips at your skin, and daylight fades all too quickly, coming home and sitting down at the table becomes the most anticipated moment, a chance to find warmth again and rediscover the pleasure of steaming dishes.
It is precisely during the fall and winter seasons that Bergamo’s gastronomic tradition finds one of its finest expressions in nosecc bergamaschi, and today our Cesarina Cristina from Mozzo shows us how to prepare them.

Some dishes tell a story made of simple gestures, humble cooking, and great ingenuity, and nosecc bergamaschi, named after their walnut-like shape, are among them. They have ancient origins and are deeply rooted in rural tradition and in the need to waste nothing, making the most of every available ingredient.
Nosecc are savoy cabbage rolls filled with meat, a great classic prepared especially in the coldest months, when cabbage is in season. They are at their best served piping hot, perhaps alongside a steaming bowl of polenta, which enhances their flavor and completes the dish in an honest, rustic way.

Nosecc Bergamaschi

Savoy cabbage rolls filled with meat, guardians of old rural culinary traditions

DifficultyMedium

Preparation time40m

Cooking time30m

Servings4

€

CostLow

Ingredients

400 g ground meat
100 g Italian sausage
40 g breadcrumbs
30 g Grana Padano cheese, grated
1 egg
5 g parsley, finely chopped
50 g onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove
60 g extra virgin olive oil
40 g butter
Salt and black pepper, to taste
150 ml dry white wine (preferably Valcalepio)
200 g tomato passata
250 ml vegetable broth
8 large Savoy cabbage leaves

Method

Mix the ground meat and sausage together.
Gradually add the remaining ingredients until the mixture is well combined.
Take the outer leaves of the Savoy cabbage and prepare them.
Blanch the leaves in salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and let cool.
Trim the thick inner rib of each leaf to make folding easier.
Shape the filling into balls of about 60 g each.
Lay a cabbage leaf (or two overlapping leaves if small) with the inner side facing up.
Place a ball of filling in the center, fold in the sides, and roll up tightly.
Tie the rolls with kitchen twine.
In a casserole or large pot, sauté the onion with olive oil and butter for a couple of minutes.
Add the nosecc and brown them on all sides, turning gently.
Deglaze with white wine and let it evaporate.
Add the tomato passata, vegetable broth, and black pepper.
Cover and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes, stirring gently occasionally and taking care not to break the rolls.

Cesarina Cristina’s Tips:

Serve Nosecc with a bowl of hot polenta for the best experience!
For a vegetarian option, simply replace the meat filling with finely diced vegetables (zucchini, carrots, celery, and potatoes), sautéed and seasoned to taste.