Meat Filling For Agnolotti Recipes

Steps:

• Put the flour onto a clean dry work surface. Make a hole (this is also called a well) in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide (bigger is definitely better here). Crack 5 eggs into the hole and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Using a fork, beat the eggs together with the olive oil and salt. Using the fork, begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture; be careful not to break the sides of the well or the egg mixture will run all over your board and you will have a big mess! Also, don't worry about the lumps. When enough flour has been incorporated into the egg mixture that it will not run all over the place when the sides of the well are broken, begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined. If the mixture is tight and dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands. When the mixture has really come together to a homogeneous mixture, THEN you can start kneading. When kneading, it is VERY important to put your body weight into it, get on top of the dough to really stretch it and not to tear the dough. Using the heels of your palms, roll the dough to create a very smooooooth, supple dough. When done the dough should look VERY smooth and feel almost velvety. Kneading will usually take from 8 to 10 minutes for an experienced kneader and 10 to 15 for an inexperienced kneader. Put your body weight into it, you need to knead! This is where the perfect, toothsome texture of your pasta is formed. Get in there and have fun! When the pasta has been kneaded to the perfect consistency, wrap it in plastic and let it rest for at least 1 hour. If using immediately, do not refrigerate.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion, a pinch of crushed red pepper and kosher salt to taste. Saute the onion until translucent, 5 minutes. Add the sausage and break it up with a spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, 7 to 8 minutes or until the sausage is browned. Add the sage and stir to combine, then deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce until the wine has cooked off, 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool down slightly.
• Add the ricotta, 1 cup of Parmesan and the remaining egg into a large bowl. Mix well to combine. Add the sausage mixture into the ricotta and mix to combine. Scoop the ricotta and sausage mixture into a pastry bag and set aside.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large saute pan and turn on the heat to low. Add the pancetta and gently cook to slowly render the fat, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is crispy and most of the fat has rendered out, 10 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup of chicken stock, a pinch of crushed red pepper and kosher salt to taste. Cook on a gentle simmer until the cherry tomatoes have softened and burst and the sauce has reduced, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock and continue to cook until the sauce has slightly thickened, another 5 or so minutes.
• Unwrap the pasta dough and cut off one third, keeping the larger piece covered. Using your hands, flatten the dough and sprinkle it with a little flour. Pass the dough through the pasta roller on the widest setting (mine is #1), then fold each end towards the center in thirds, like an envelope. Dust with more flour, then pass through the machine again. Repeat this process 3 to 4 times, folding the dough and flouring each time. Decrease the width to #2 and pass through the machine. Fold again and dust with flour. Continue to #3 and repeat, just folding and flouring once until you've reached #5. Lay the pasta sheet onto your board and arrange some basil leaves on one half of the sheet. Fold the dough in half to cover the basil leaves, dust with more flour, then pass through the machine one more time on the thinnest setting (mine is #6), so the basil leaves become part of the pasta dough sheet. Set aside and cover. Repeat with the remaining dough and basil leaves.
• Place the sheets of dough onto a floured surface. Lightly brush the lower half of each strip (the part closest to you) with water. Snip the corner off the pastry bag. Pipe 1-inch mounds of filling, 1 inch apart, onto the middle to lower half of each strip. Fold the dough over the filling to meet the bottom edge that's brushed with water. Press around each ball of filling with your index fingers, making sure there are no air bubbles. Cut out the agnolotti using a fluted pasta wheel. Transfer to a baking sheet dusted with semolina.
• Set up a large pot of boiling water and generously season with kosher salt. It should be as salty as the sea. Add the agnolotti and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the cooked agnolotti directly from the boiling water into the sauce along with 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Toss to combine until the pasta is nicely coated. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, most of the sliced basil (leave a bit for garnish) and a big fat drizzle of nice extra-virgin olive oil and toss to combine.
• Plate, then garnish with more Parmesan and sliced basil.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 8 ingredients on rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast until all meats are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot; sauté 3 minutes. Working in batches, add spinach to skillet and toss until wilted before adding more, about 5 minutes total. Remove from heat and cool.
• Remove skin and bones from chicken thigh and discard. Coarsely dice chicken, veal, and pork; transfer to processor. Add meat pan juices, spinach, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Process until meats and spinach are finely chopped, stopping often to scrape down sides of bowl. Transfer mixture to bowl. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Blend 1 3/4 cups flour and salt in processor. Add whole eggs and yolks and blend until dough forms, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if too wet. Turn out dough on lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with flour if needed to prevent sticking, about 8 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Cut dough into 4 equal pieces. Turn pasta machine to widest setting. Flatten 1 dough piece into rectangle. Cover remaining dough pieces with plastic wrap. Run dough through machine 4 times. Adjust machine to next narrower setting. Run dough through machine 4 times. Repeat running dough strip through machine 4 times on each narrower setting, cutting dough strip in half crosswise for easier handling when strip becomes very long and dusting dough with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Continue rolling until pasta strips are 22 to 24 inches long, dusting lightly with flour as needed. Repeat rolling with remaining 3 dough pieces. Let dough strips dry slightly on work surface until no longer sticky to touch for easier handling, about 10 minutes.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; dust lightly with flour. Cut each dough strip into 3-inch squares (about 7 to 8 per strip). Place 1 generous teaspoon filling in center of each square. Brush 2 adjacent dough edges with water. Fold 1 long side over filling, enclosing filling and pressing to seal, forming rectangle. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, arranging in single layer. Do ahead Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover with towel and let stand at room temperature.
• Melt butter with chopped sage in large skillet over medium-high heat; remove from heat. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add half of agnolotti to pot and cook just until tender, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon transfer agnolotti to sieve to drain, then add to skillet with melted butter. Repeat with remaining agnolotti. Toss over medium-high heat until coated and heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Divide agnolotti among 8 bowls; sprinkle with Parmesan shavings and serve.