Agnolotti del Plin with...Agnolotti del Plin with Barolo-Braised Rabbit and Burnt Sage Butter

Delicately pinched Piedmontese pasta pillows filled with tender rabbit braised in Barolo wine, finished with a nutty noisette and crispy sage.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Sauté the mirepoix in a heavy-bottomed pot until softened. Add the rabbit meat, sear until golden, then deglaze with Barolo. Braise on low heat for 90 minutes until the meat is falling off the bone.

2. 02

   While the rabbit braises, create a well with the flour and add egg yolks. Incorporate slowly and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in film and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

3. 03

   Remove rabbit from the braising liquid. Shred the meat finely, discarding bones. Mix meat with Parmigiano, nutmeg, and a tablespoon of the reduced braising liquid. Season precisely.

4. 04

   Roll the pasta dough through a machine until translucent (setting 7 or 8). Place small hazelnut-sized mounds of filling 2cm apart along the lower half of the sheet.

5. 05

   Fold the pasta over the filling. Use your fingers to 'plin' (pinch) the dough between each mound to seal, then cut with a fluted pasta wheel to create individual pouches.

6. 06

   In a wide skillet, melt butter over medium heat until it foams and begins to smell nutty. Add sage leaves and fry until crisp.

7. 07

   Boil the agnolotti in salted water for 2-3 minutes. Transfer directly to the brown butter using a slotted spoon, adding a splash of pasta water to emulsify.

8. 08

   Plate immediately, spooning the burnt sage butter over the pasta and finishing with a final dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano.