Guinea Fowl Agnolotti dal...Guinea Fowl Agnolotti dal Plin with Black Truffle and Sage Emulsion

An exquisite, Michelin-caliber Piedmontese pasta. Delicate hand-pinched parcels filled with rich braised guinea fowl and pork, glazed in a glossy sage butter emulsion and crowned with shaved black truffle.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the pasta dough: Mound the 00 flour on a clean marble surface. Make a wide well in the center and add the 12 egg yolks and the whole egg. Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs, gradually incorporating flour from the inner walls. Once a shaggy dough forms, knead vigorously by hand for 10-12 minutes until smooth, elastic, and velvety. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

2. 02

   To make the filling: Heat a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced pork belly and cook until the fat renders and it turns golden. Add the diced guinea fowl meat and sear until lightly browned. Stir in the minced eschalot and garlic, cooking until translucent and fragrant (about 3 minutes).

3. 03

   Deglaze the pan with the dry white wine, scraping up all the fond from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half. Add 50ml of the chicken broth, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 30 minutes until the meat is incredibly tender. Season with salt and pepper, then let cool slightly.

4. 04

   Transfer the cooled meat mixture into a food processor. Pulse until it becomes a fine, cohesive paste (avoid over-processing into a purée). Transfer to a bowl and fold in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip (approx. 8mm) and refrigerate.

5. 05

   To assemble: Divide the rested pasta dough into 4 portions. Roll one portion at a time through a pasta machine, progressively thinning it down to the thinnest setting (usually setting 8 or 9, about 1mm thick). Keep the other portions covered. Lay the pasta sheet on a lightly floured surface.

6. 06

   Pipe small hazelnut-sized mounds of filling along the bottom half of the pasta sheet, leaving about 2cm of space between each. Fold the top half of the sheet over the filling. Using your thumbs and index fingers, pinch the pasta together in the spaces between the filling to seal and create a distinct 'pocket' for each piece.

7. 07

   Using a fluted pasta cutter (wheel), trim along the top edge of the folded pasta, then cut vertically through each pinched section to separate the individual agnolotti. This pinch ('plin') creates a small pocket to hold the sauce. Place the shaped agnolotti on a tray lined with parchment paper dusted with semolina flour.

8. 08

   For the sauce: In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the chicken bone broth and the fresh sage leaves. Swirl the pan constantly to create a glossy, creamy emulsion. Keep warm on low heat.

9. 09

   Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the agnolotti into the water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they rise to the surface and are cooked al dente. Use a spider strainer to transfer the pasta directly into the sage butter emulsion.

10. 10

    Gently toss the pasta in the emulsion for 1 minute over low heat to coat thoroughly. Plate immediately in warm shallow bowls, spooning the glossy emulsified sauce and sage leaves over the pasta. Finish by shaving generous amounts of fresh black truffle over each dish, alongside a delicate sprinkle of fleur de sel.