Piedmont Pinched Pasta with Slow-Braised Beef Filling

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These delicate little pinched pasta parcels from northwestern Italy are traditionally stuffed with slow-braised beef, pork, or rabbit mixed with aged cheese, then dressed with nothing more than melted butter and sage to let the rich filling shine. The name plin means pinch in the Piedmontese dialect, referring to the signature two-fingered fold that seals each tiny pocket. Tucking into a few small agnolotti in a warm broth or with sage butter is one of Italy's most quietly elegant pasta experiences.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 540 kcalCalories
• 24 gFat
• 10 gSaturated Fat
• 58 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 3 gSugar
• 28 gProtein
• 620 mgSodium
• 480 mgPotassium
• 220 mgCalcium
• 4.5 mgIron
• 4 mgVitamin C
• 160 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the braised beef filling

• 1 lb (450 g) beef chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 small onion, 1 carrot, and 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 cup dry red wine such as Nebbiolo or Barbera
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 1 bay leaf and 1 small rosemary sprig
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the fresh egg pasta dough

• 2 cups (260 g) type 00 flour
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

For the filling mixture

• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp fine dried breadcrumbs
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the sage butter sauce

• 6 tbsp unsalted European-style butter
• 8 to 10 fresh sage leaves
• 1/3 cup strained reserved braising liquid
• Extra grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper and brown on all sides for about 8 minutes. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery and cook 5 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized, then pour in the red wine and simmer until reduced by half.
2. Add the beef broth, bay leaf, and rosemary to the pot. Cover, lower the heat, and braise gently for 2½ to 3 hours, turning the meat occasionally, until fork-tender. Transfer the beef to a plate and let cool slightly. Strain and reserve the braising liquid.
3. Finely chop the braised beef by hand or pulse briefly in a food processor just until coarse, not pasty. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmigiano, egg, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, parsley, and salt and pepper. The mixture should hold together firmly when pressed; chill for 20 minutes.
4. Mound the flour on a clean surface and make a deep well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well, add the olive oil and salt, and whisk with a fork while gradually drawing in flour from the sides. When a shaggy dough forms, knead with both hands for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap tightly and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
5. Cut the dough into quarters and roll each piece through a pasta machine, starting at the widest setting and working down to about 1 mm thickness. Keep unused sheets covered with a clean towel. Lay a sheet on a lightly floured surface and place small 1-teaspoon mounds of filling in two parallel rows, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
6. Lightly brush the dough around the filling with water, then fold the sheet over to enclose the mounds. Press firmly around each mound to seal out air, then cut into small rectangles with a fluted pasta wheel. Pinch each rectangle tightly between thumb and index finger at the two short corners and tug the corners together to form the signature curved shape.
7. Bring a wide pot of generously salted water to a gentle boil. Meanwhile, melt the butter with the sage in a large skillet over medium heat, swirling until the butter turns golden and the sage becomes crisp. Stir in the strained braising liquid and keep warm over low heat.
8. Cook the pasta parcels in batches in the simmering water for 2 to 3 minutes, until they float and look slightly puffed. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them directly into the sage butter, tossing very gently to coat without breaking the delicate parcels.
9. Divide among warm plates, spoon over a little of the pan sauce, and finish with a generous shower of grated Parmigiano. Serve immediately with more cheese at the table.

Cook’s Notes

• The braised beef can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; the flavors deepen overnight and the chilled meat chops more cleanly.
• Keep unused pasta sheets and shaped parcels loosely covered with a clean kitchen towel so they do not dry out or form a crust.
• Authentic agnolotti dal plin are tiny—about the size of a thumb—so 12 to 14 per person is plenty, and they should be eaten in a single bite.
• Freeze uncooked pinched pasta on a floured parchment-lined tray until solid, then bag for up to 1 month; cook straight from frozen, adding about 1 minute to the cooking time.
• For a more traditional Sunday-style filling, replace about a third of the beef with braised pork shoulder or rabbit, or stir in a handful of finely chopped cooked spinach for a touch of green.

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