Castelmagno Agnolotti del Plin...Castelmagno Agnolotti del Plin with Toasted Hazelnut & Black Truffle Emulsion

Delicate handmade Piedmontese pasta parcels filled with a rich, molten Castelmagno cheese center, bathed in a fragrant brown butter and chicken stock emulsion, toasted Piedmont hazelnuts, and freshly shaved black winter truffle.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Soak the gelatin sheet in a bowl of ice-cold water for 5 minutes until softened. In a small saucepan over low heat, gently warm the heavy cream. Stir in the crumbled Castelmagno and mascarpone until completely melted and smooth. Squeeze excess water from the gelatin sheet and stir it into the warm cheese mixture until fully dissolved. Season with a pinch of nutmeg, pour into a shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour until set into a pipeable gel.

2. 02

   Mound the Tipo 00 flour on a clean wooden work surface and create a wide well in the center. Pour the egg yolks and whole egg into the well. Using a fork, gently beat the eggs, gradually incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well. Once a thick paste forms, use your hands to bring the dough together. Knead vigorously for 12-15 minutes until the dough is silky, smooth, and elastic. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. 03

   Divide the pasta dough into two portions. Roll one portion through a pasta machine, starting at the widest setting and gradually thinning down to the absolute thinnest setting (about 1mm thick). Keep the remaining dough wrapped. Lay the thin pasta sheet onto a lightly floured surface and cut into long strips roughly 2 inches wide.

4. 04

   Transfer the chilled Castelmagno filling into a piping bag. Pipe small, hazelnut-sized mounds of filling along the lower half of the pasta strip, leaving about 1 inch of space between each mound. Fold the top half of the pasta sheet over the filling. Using your thumbs and forefingers, pinch the pasta together in the spaces between the filling mounds to seal, pushing out any trapped air. Use a fluted pastry cutter wheel to slice along the fold to separate the agnolotti, then slice through each pinch to create individual 'plin' parcels. Dust with semolina and repeat with the remaining dough.

5. 05

   In a large, wide skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook until the butter begins to foam, smelling nutty and turning a beautiful golden-brown. Immediately pour in the reduced chicken stock to halt the browning process, whisking rapidly to create a glossy, stable emulsion. Turn heat to lowest setting to keep warm.

6. 06

   Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a gentle rolling boil. Drop the agnolotti into the water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes; they are done shortly after they rise to the surface. Gently lift the pasta out of the water using a spider strainer and transfer them directly into the skillet with the brown butter emulsion.

7. 07

   Toss the pasta gently over low heat for 1 minute to thoroughly coat each piece with the sauce. Divide the agnolotti among four warmed shallow bowls and spoon the remaining emulsion over them. Garnish with the toasted, crushed hazelnuts, a light dusting of aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, and generously shave fresh black winter truffle over each plate immediately before serving.