Braised Duck Agnolotti dal...Braised Duck Agnolotti dal Plin with Sage-Brown Butter Emulsion

Hand-folded Piedmontese pasta parcels filled with rich, slow-braised duck leg confit, bathed in a glossy sage-infused brown butter emulsion and finished with 25-year aged balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Make the pasta dough: Mound the '00' flour on a wooden board, make a well in the center, and add the egg yolks. Gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs, kneading for 10-15 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

2. 02

   Braise the duck: In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, sear the duck legs over medium heat until the skin is deeply golden and the fat is rendered. Remove the duck, add the mirepoix to the rendered fat, and sauté until caramelized. Deglaze with the red wine, scraping up the brown bits, and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock, return the duck legs, cover, and simmer on low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours until the meat is falling off the bone.

3. 03

   Prepare the filling: Shred the duck meat, discarding the skin and bones. Finely mince the meat, then fold in 2-3 tablespoons of the strained, reduced braising liquid and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano until a cohesive, smooth paste forms. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and transfer to a pastry bag.

4. 04

   Roll and shape the Agnolotti: Roll the pasta dough through a pasta machine to the thinnest setting. Pipe small mounds of the duck filling (about 1 teaspoon each) along the bottom half of the pasta sheet, spacing them 2 cm apart. Fold the top half of the dough over the filling. Pinch the dough tightly between each mound of filling, then seal the seam by folding the pasta over. Use a fluted pasta wheel to cut along the sealed edge and then cut between each pinch, creating the classic 'plin' pocket.

5. 05

   Create the emulsion: Melt the unsalted butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the sage leaves and cook until the butter begins to foam and turn a nutty golden brown. Remove from heat and keep warm.

6. 06

   Cook and plate: Cook the agnolotti in a large pot of gently boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes. Using a spider, transfer the pasta directly into the brown butter pan along with 2-3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water. Toss gently over medium heat to emulsify the butter into a glossy sauce. Plate immediately, garnished with the crisp sage leaves, crushed hazelnuts, and a drizzle of premium aged balsamic vinegar.