Agnolotti del Plin (Italian "Pinched" Ravioli With Savory Beef Filling)

Method

1. 1

   For the Filling: Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven or large sauce pot, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Brown beef on all sides, flipping as needed, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to a plate.

2. 2

   Add cabbage and onion to fat remaining in pot and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, then stir in stock or broth. Return beef and any accumulated juices to pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until beef is tender, about 1 hour.

3. 3

   Drain beef mixture in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Reserve cooking liquid separately. Let cool slightly, about 20 minutes.

4. 4

   Transfer beef mixture and 1/4 cup of cooking liquid to food processor; process until finely ground, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add Grana Padano, egg, and nutmeg and process until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer filling to bowl; refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours; bring to cool room temperature before proceeding with recipe.)

5. 5

   For the Pasta and Sauce: Transfer dough to a clean counter, divide into 5 pieces, and cover with plastic wrap. Flatten 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick disk. Using a pasta machine with rollers set to widest position, feed dough through rollers twice. Bring the tapered ends of the dough toward the middle and press to seal. Feed the dough, seam side first, through the rollers again. Repeat feeding the dough, tapered end first, through the rollers set at the widest position, without folding, until the dough is smooth and barely tacky. (If dough sticks to fingers or rollers, lightly dust with flour and roll again.)

6. 6

   Narrow rollers to the next setting and feed dough through rollers twice. Continue to progressively narrow rollers, feeding dough through each setting twice, until the dough is very thin and semi-transparent. (If dough becomes too long to manage, halve crosswise.) Transfer sheet of pasta to liberally floured sheet of parchment paper. Cover with second sheet of parchment, followed by damp kitchen towel, to keep pasta from drying out. Repeat rolling with remaining 4 pieces of dough, stacking pasta sheets between floured layers of parchment.

7. 7

   Liberally dust 2 rimmed baking sheets with flour. Transfer filling to a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag or pastry bag. Snip off 1 corner of bag to create 3/4-inch opening. Position 1 pasta sheet on lightly floured counter with long side parallel to counter edge (keep remaining sheets covered). Using pizza cutter or sharp knife, trim pasta into uniform 4-inch-wide sheet. Pipe filling lengthwise down center of sheet, leaving 1-inch space at each end. Lightly brush edges with water.

8. 8

   Fold bottom edge of pasta over filling until flush with top edge. Gently press to seal the long edge of the pasta flush to the filling to form one long tube; leave the narrow ends unsealed.

9. 9

   With fingers, pinch filled portion of pasta together at 1-inch increments to create individual sections.

10. 10

    Using a fluted pastry wheel or pizza cutter, trim excess dough from filled pasta strip, leaving 1/4-inch border on ends and 1-inch border on top. Starting at bottom edge of strip, roll pastry wheel away from you in one motion between pinched sections to fold and seal dough and separate agnolotti. Pinch edges of each agnolotto to reinforce seal, then transfer to prepared sheets. Repeat with filling and shaping remaining pasta sheets (you should have about 75 agnolotti). Let agnolotti sit uncovered until dry to touch and slightly stiffened, about 30 minutes.

11. 11

    For Cooking: In a 12-inch high-sided skillet, cook butter, hazelnuts, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt over medium-heat, swirling skillet constantly, until butter is melted, has golden-brown color, and releases nutty aroma, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in vinegar; set skillet aside.

12. 12

    Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and half of agnolotti and and simmer gently, stirring often, until edges of pasta are al dente, 3 to 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer agnolotti to skillet, gently toss to coat, and cover. Return cooking water to boil and repeat with remaining agnolotti; transfer to skillet. Add 1/4 cup cooking water to cooked agnolotti in skillet and gently toss to coat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Reviews