Agnolotti del Plin with...Agnolotti del Plin with Braised Veal Shank and Black Truffle

Silky hand-folded pasta parcels filled with rich, slow-braised veal shank and alpine Fontina cheese, bathed in a glossy sage-infused noisette emulsion and finished with fresh shaved black truffles.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the pasta, mound the flour on a clean work surface and create a wide well in the center. Pour in the egg yolks, whole egg, olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Gently whisk the eggs with a fork, gradually incorporating the flour from the inner walls. Once a rough dough forms, knead vigorously for 10-12 minutes until smooth, elastic, and satin-like. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

2. 02

   Pat the veal shank dry and season generously with sea salt and black pepper. In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat a splash of olive oil over high heat. Sear the veal until a deep, golden-brown crust forms on all sides (about 8-10 minutes). Remove the veal and set aside.

3. 03

   Lower the heat to medium. Add the mirepoix and smashed garlic to the same pot, cooking until caramelized and fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the Barolo wine, scraping up all the fond from the bottom. Reduce the liquid by half, then return the veal shank to the pot. Pour in the veal stock and add the herb bundle. Cover, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, and braise for 2.5 hours, or until the meat is completely melt-in-the-mouth tender.

4. 04

   Remove the veal from the pot. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Return the liquid to the heat and reduce until it reaches a syrupy, glaze-like consistency. Shred the veal meat, discarding bone and gristle. Finely chop the meat and fold in 3-4 tablespoons of the reduced glaze, Fontina Val d'Aosta, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and chill until firm.

5. 05

   Roll the pasta dough through a pasta machine, stepping down to the thinnest setting until translucent. Pipe hazelnut-sized mounds of the veal filling along the lower half of the pasta sheet, keeping a 2cm gap between each. Fold the top half of the dough over the filling. Pinch the pasta dough between each pocket of filling to seal, pushing out any trapped air. Using a fluted pasta wheel, cut along the top of the fold, then cut between each pinch with a swift forward motion to create the classic 'Plin' shape. Keep on a semolina-dusted tray.

6. 06

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Concurrently, melt the unsalted butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Allow the butter to foam, turn amber, and release a nutty aroma. Add the sage leaves, letting them crisp slightly. Splash in 3-4 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to halt the browning process and emulsify the butter into a glossy sauce.

7. 07

   Drop the agnolotti into the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they rise to the surface. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly into the brown butter emulsion. Gently toss for 30 seconds over low heat to coat each piece beautifully.

8. 08

   Divide the agnolotti among warm shallow bowls, spooning over the sage butter sauce. Garnish each plate with the crispy sage leaves and shave fresh black truffle generously over the pasta just before serving.