Agnolotti: Piedmont’s Classic Ravioli
Agnolotti, little bundles of fresh pasta that are filled with anything from a mix of meats to vegetables, are an iconic dish of the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Like so many classic Italian dishes, agnolotti were originally created to make use of leftovers. Agnolotti are always part of Christmas holidays and other special occasion dinners and are traditionally served in the braising liquid from roast meats but are also served in a butter sage sauce.
Agnolotti can be half-moon shape or square, and there’s also a rectangular variation called agnolotti al plin. Plin means “pinch” in the local dialect because they are made by pinching them closed between the index finger and thumb to seal in the filling.
There are several thoughts as to the origin of the name, including that they were named after Angelot, the Montferrat chef who invented them or named for the traditional iron tool, anulòt, used to cut the dough to make them.
Serves 6
For the filling and serving broth:
Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the carrot, celery and onion and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Then add the meats, browning each side. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, then add the broth and bay leaf and simmer for an hour until the meats are tender.
Remove the meat from the broth, but continue to simmer the broth until it is reduced by half. Puree the broth and reserve for serving with the agnolotti. Meanwhile, chop the meats and puree them in a food processor with the Savoy cabbage until smooth. Put into a bowl, add the parsley, egg, ricotta and Parmesan, and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Continue to simmer the broth until thick, about 20 minutes. Puree in a food processor until smooth. Reserve as a serving sauce.
For the dough:
Mound the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and yolks. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour, a little at a time, until dough forms. Knead the dough until elastic, about 15 minutes. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
To make the agnolotti:
Divide the dough into 4 or 5 sections. Work with one section at a time. Roll out the dough, into thin sheets, about 3 inches wide. Put a teaspoon of filling, about every 1 1/2 inches, along the bottom half of the pasta sheet. Fold the dough over the filling and using your thumb and forefinger pinch the ends sealing it. Use a ravioli cutter to cut each agnolotto (singular form of agnolotti). Put the cut agnolotti onto a linen cloth or on a baking sheet dusted with flour. Repeat using the remaining dough.
To finish:
Warm the reserved reduced broth and stir in the butter and sage. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook the agnolotti until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and toss with butter and sage leaves. Serve topped with the warm broth and a sprinkle of grated cheese.
