Main courses
Tiny “pinched” Piedmontese agnolotti, filled with roasted meats and greens, finished in a glossy, reduced roast jus. The goal is clarity: a dry, savory filling; a silk-thin pasta sheet; and a sauce that coats (“nappé”) without heaviness.
Mise en place (set yourself up like a pro)
Set out: pasta machine, bench scraper, piping bag (or zip bag), small knife or fluted wheel, tray dusted with semolina, fine sieve, saucepan + sauté pan, thermometer (helpful).
Critical: Clear a dry work surface; keep a damp towel over pasta sheets so they don’t skin over.
Start the roast jus first (it needs time to reduce)
In a saucepan, sweat shallot/carrot/celery with a pinch of salt until soft (no color). Add tomato paste; cook 2 minutes until brick-red. Deglaze with wine; reduce until nearly dry. Add stock, thyme, bay, peppercorns; simmer gently to reduce until it lightly coats a spoon. Strain fine.
Critical: Do not boil hard—cloudy sauce = dull finish.
Roast the meats (flavor comes from browning + resting)
Season veal and pork well. Sear in a hot pan until deeply browned. Roast at 190°C / 375°F until pork reaches 63°C / 145°F internal; veal 60–63°C / 140–145°F. Rest 15 minutes; collect juices. Add juices to the jus.
Critical: Overcooked meat = dry, grainy filling.
Build a “dry but silky” filling
Finely chop meats (knife or pulsed briefly—avoid purée). Chop cabbage; squeeze again if needed. Mix meats + cabbage + Parmigiano + yolk + drippings. Season with salt, white pepper, and a tiny grate of nutmeg. Chill 20 minutes so it pipes cleanly.
Critical: If filling feels wet, add a bit more Parmigiano; wet filling can burst the pasta.
Make the pasta dough (elastic, not sticky)
Mound flour; mix in salt. Add eggs + yolks; work into a shaggy dough, then knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and springy. Wrap and rest 30–45 minutes.
Critical: Resting relaxes gluten—without it, sheets shrink and tear.
Roll the sheets (thin enough to read a newspaper through)
Divide dough; keep covered. Flatten and pass through pasta machine, folding once or twice until even. Roll progressively thinner to about 0.6–0.8 mm. Lay sheets on semolina-dusted surface and cover.
Critical: Too thick = chewy plin; too thin = tearing when pinched.
Form the agnolotti del plin (the “pinch” technique)
Pipe small dots of filling (about hazelnut size) in a straight line, leaving 1–1.5 cm spacing. Fold dough over; press to expel air. Pinch between each mound (“plin”), sealing firmly, then cut into small pillows. Hold on a semolina tray. Chill 10 minutes to set the seams.
Critical: No air pockets—they expand in boiling water and pop.
Cook and glaze in sauce (restaurant finish)
Bring salted water to a gentle boil. Cook plin 1.5–2.5 minutes (they float quickly). Transfer directly to a sauté pan with hot jus + a splash of pasta water. Off heat, swirl in cold butter to emulsify. Add Parmigiano; toss until glossy and coating.
Critical: If it looks greasy, add a spoon of hot pasta water and swirl to re-emulsify.
Plate with precision (heat, shine, restraint)
Warm shallow bowls. Spoon a thin pool of jus. Arrange agnolotti in a neat line or small crescent. Nap lightly with more sauce. Finish with micro herbs/chives and a few Parmigiano shards. Serve immediately.
Side: bitter-leaf salad with lemon and olive oil.
Wine: Barbera d’Alba (bright) or a more structured Nebbiolo/Barolo-style pairing.