Agnolotti del Plin (Stuffed Pasta with Brown Butter and Sage)

Pasta dough

• 300 g Plain flour
• 3 Egg
• 1 tsp Fine sea salt

Filling

• 20 g Butter
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 350 g Pork shoulder, boneless
• 120 ml Dry White Wine
• 200 g Spinach
• 80 g Parmesan
• ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp Black pepper

Brown butter and sage

• 120 g Butter
• 12 leaves Fresh sage

1. Make the pasta dough: tip the plain flour onto a work surface, make a well, then add the eggs and fine sea salt. Beat the eggs with a fork, gradually drawing in the flour, then knead until smooth and elastic. Wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the filling: melt 20 g butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Finely chop the yellow onion and crush the garlic, then cook with a pinch of the fine sea salt for 8 to 10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the pork shoulder and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink.
3. Pour in the dry white wine and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the pan is nearly dry and the pork is tender. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted, then take off the heat. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes so it does not scramble the egg when mixed.
4. Transfer the pork and spinach mixture to a mixing bowl and finely grate in the parmesan. Add the ground nutmeg and black pepper, then mix well; taste and adjust with a little more fine sea salt if needed. Chill the filling for 20 minutes so it is firm and easy to shape.
5. Roll the pasta: divide the dough into 4 pieces and keep the rest covered while you work. Roll each piece through a pasta machine, reducing the thickness gradually, until you have long sheets about 1 mm thick. Lightly dust with plain flour only if the sheets start to stick.
6. Shape the agnolotti del plin: lay a pasta sheet on the work surface and pipe or spoon a line of filling along the length, about 2 cm from the edge. Fold the pasta over the filling and press firmly to seal, pushing out any air, then pinch along the seam to create the characteristic little “plin”. Cut into small pillows and keep them on a lightly floured tray while you repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
7. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil. Cook the agnolotti in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they float and the pasta is just tender. Lift out with a slotted spoon and transfer straight to a warm frying pan.
8. Make the sauce: melt 120 g butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook until it smells nutty and turns golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the fresh sage leaves and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant. Toss in the cooked agnolotti to coat, adding a spoonful of pasta water if needed to loosen, then serve immediately.

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