Agnolotti del Plin

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 5-quart Dutch oven
• •Meat grinder or food processor
• •Pasta machine
• •Wooden pasta board
• •Fluted pastry wheel
• •Large wide skillet for finishing

Instructions

1. 1

   Braise the meat

   In a heavy Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the beef and pork generously with salt and pepper. Brown the meat on all sides, working in batches to avoid crowding. This takes 15 to 20 minutes total. Remove the meat and set aside.

   Do not rush the browning. The fond that develops on the bottom of the pot is flavor you cannot replace. Let each piece develop a proper crust before turning.
2. 2

   Build the braising base

   Reduce heat to medium. Add the pancetta and cook until it renders its fat and begins to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until softened and golden, about 15 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and cook one minute more. The garlic should perfume the vegetables, not dominate them.

3. 3

   Braise until tender

   Return the meat to the pot. Pour in the wine and let it bubble until reduced by half. Add the broth, rosemary, and sage. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to the lowest setting. Braise until the meat is completely tender and falls apart when prodded, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Check occasionally and add water if the pot threatens to dry out.

4. 4

   Make the filling

   Remove the meat from the braising liquid and let it cool slightly. Discard the rosemary stems and garlic. Pass the meat through a meat grinder fitted with the fine plate, or pulse in a food processor until finely ground but not paste. Transfer to a bowl. Add about 3 tablespoons of the strained braising liquid, the nutmeg, egg yolk, Parmigiano, and the blanched greens if using. Mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. The filling should be moist but hold its shape when pinched. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

   Save the remaining braising liquid. Strain it and freeze it. It is concentrated flavor, too valuable to discard. Use it to enrich soups or sauces.
5. 5

   Make the pasta dough

   Mound the flour on a clean wooden board. Create a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well and add the salt. Using a fork, beat the eggs while gradually incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well. When the mixture becomes too thick for the fork, use your hands to bring the dough together. Knead vigorously for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed. The surface should feel like your earlobe. Wrap tightly in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

6. 6

   Roll the pasta thin

   Divide the dough into four pieces. Work with one piece at a time, keeping the others wrapped. Using a pasta machine, roll the dough starting at the widest setting, folding it in thirds and rolling again at each setting until you reach the second-thinnest setting. The pasta should be thin enough to see your hand through it, but not so thin that it tears. Cut the sheet into strips about 3 inches wide and 12 inches long.

7. 7

   Fill and pinch the agnolotti

   Working quickly so the pasta does not dry, place small mounds of filling (about 1/2 teaspoon each) in a line along the center of each pasta strip, spacing them about 3/4 inch apart. Fold the pasta lengthwise over the filling. Press firmly around each mound to seal and eliminate air pockets. Now comes the plin: using your thumb and forefinger, pinch firmly between each mound to create individual parcels. Cut between the pinches with a fluted pastry wheel or sharp knife. Each agnolotto should be about the size of a large postage stamp.

   The pinch is everything. Press hard enough to seal completely. If the pasta is too dry to stick, brush the edges with water, but work faster next time. Proper technique requires rhythm.
8. 8

   Cook the agnolotti

   Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a gentle boil. Add the agnolotti carefully. They will sink, then float. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes after they float. The pasta should be tender, the filling hot throughout. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider, letting excess water drain.

9. 9

   Dress with butter and sage

   While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it foams, add the sage leaves and let them sizzle until the butter turns golden and smells of hazelnuts. This is brown butter. Remove from heat immediately. Transfer the drained agnolotti to the skillet and toss gently to coat. The butter should cling to each parcel. Serve immediately. Once the pasta is sauced, invite your guests and family to put off talking and start eating. Pass Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table.

Chef Tips

• •The filling can include rabbit, which is traditional in some Piedmontese families. Braise it with the other meats. The result is more delicate.
• •For serving al tovagliolo, line a warm bowl with a clean linen napkin, pile the undressed agnolotti inside, and fold the napkin over them. Each person takes a portion and dresses them with butter at the table. This keeps them impossibly soft.
• •To serve in broth, use a rich homemade meat broth. Ladle it hot over the cooked agnolotti. No butter, no cheese. The broth is enough.
• •Freeze uncooked agnolotti in a single layer on a sheet pan, then transfer to bags. Cook directly from frozen, adding one minute to the cooking time. They keep for two months.

Advance Preparation

• •The filling can be made three days ahead and refrigerated. It firms up when cold, making it easier to portion.
• •Assembled agnolotti can be refrigerated on a floured sheet pan, covered, for up to 24 hours before cooking.
• •The braised meat freezes well for two months before being ground into filling. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before proceeding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 250g)