Agnolotti dal Plin al Burro e Salvia (Stuffed Pasta with Butter and Sage)

Braised filling

• 30 g Unsalted butter
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 1 medium Carrot
• 2 pieces Celery
• 250 g Beef brisket
• 250 g Pork shoulder
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg
• 150 ml Dry White Wine
• 500 ml Beef stock

Pasta dough and finishing

• 300 g Plain flour
• 3 Egg
• 90 g Unsalted butter
• 12 leaves Fresh sage
• 60 g Parmesan

1. Make the filling first so it has time to cool. Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery.
2. Melt 30 g of the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat, then cook the chopped vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the brisket and pork and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until browned all over.
3. Stir in the black pepper and nutmeg, then pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes. Add the beef stock, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and braise for 75 to 90 minutes until the meat is very tender.
4. Lift the meat out and let it cool until comfortable to handle, then shred it finely and mix with just enough of the braising liquid to make a moist, spoonable filling. Let the filling cool completely so it does not soften the pasta.
5. Tip the flour onto a work surface and make a well. Crack in the eggs and whisk with a fork, gradually drawing in the flour, then knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
6. Cover the dough and let it rest at room temperature so it relaxes and rolls easily. While it rests, grate the Parmesan.
7. Roll the dough very thin, working in portions, until you can just see your hand through it. Pipe or spoon small, close-set mounds of filling along the sheet, fold the pasta over, press out the air, then pinch to form the characteristic ‘plin’ and cut into small agnolotti.
8. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Boil the agnolotti in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until they float and the pasta is just tender, then lift out with a slotted spoon.
9. Melt the remaining 90 g butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the sage leaves. Cook until the butter foams and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes, then add a splash of the pasta cooking water to make a glossy sauce.
10. Add the agnolotti to the pan and toss very gently to coat without tearing. Serve straight away with Parmesan and a final crack of black pepper.

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