Agnolotti

• total time: 2 hours

Ingredients

For the pea farce

•50 g brioche crumbs

•300 g frozen peas

•150 g mascarpone cheese

•4 g kosher salt

For the agnolotti

•1 recipe egg pasta dough

•Tipo “00” flour for dusting

Parmesan cheese

•75 g chicken stock

•50 g butter

•Kosher salt

•Champagne vinegar, to taste

•8 to 10 agnolotti

•20 g frozen peas

•20 g bacon, diced and rendered

Directions

Make the pea farce: Trim crust from the brioche, cut it into cubes, and process in the food processor to make fine crumbs. Scale out the necessary amount for the recipe and freeze the rest.

Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil and season it heavily with salt. Blanch the peas until they are soft, then drain them through a strainer. While they’re still warm, gently squeeze out the excess water from the peas by wringing them out in a lint-free towel. Place the peas in the processor and process until smooth.

Add the mascarpone and brioche crumbs, and continue blending until the mixture is homogeneous. Taste and add additional salt if necessary.

Pass the farce through a tamis into a shallow container. Cover the farce with plastic wrap and gently press the wrap onto the surface of the farce to prevent a skin from forming. Chill the farce as quickly as possible. Store covered and refrigerated if not using right away.

Insert piping tip into the piping bag and snip the plastic to the edge of the piping tip. Fill the piping bag with the farce, taking care not to overfill the bag, as it makes it difficult to handle.

Make the agnolotti: Cut off a piece of dough slightly smaller than a stick of butter. Flatten the dough into a rectangular piece to approximately ⅜ inch. Run the dough through the pasta machine at its widest setting. Then fold the dough in half and run it through the machine, once again feeding it into the machine at its folded edge. Repeat this process 3 to 4 more times. This process helps develop a smooth, supple texture.

After the initial folding and rolling process, decrease the pasta roller width to the next setting and roll the dough through twice. Repeat this process, progressively reducing the thickness each time until the dough is very thin and translucent. While rolling, try to use as little flour for dusting as possible, as this will dry the surface of the pasta and prevent the pasta from adhering.

Lightly dust the pasta board with flour. Lay the sheet of dough down on the dusted board. Pipe a bead of the pea farce down the length of the center of the pasta sheet. Do not pull on the farce; let it fall out of the bag by applying equal pressure around all sides of the bag. Fold the dough over the top of the farce. Use your thumb to compress the dough around the farce. Repeat the compression once again, further tightening the dough against the bead. Pinch the bead between the forefingers and thumbs of each hand to compress it into”‘pillows” about ⅝ inch wide. Compress once again to pinch the dough together to form a tight seal. Use the fluted pasta wheel to trim along the dough, leaving ⅜ inch of dough at the edge of the pillows. If you’re right-handed, start at the leftmost pillow (if you are left-handed, work in the opposite direction). With a quick and decisive motion, use the fluted pasta wheel to cut the end of the dough adjacent to the pillow. With your left hand, gently hold the pillow in place while using the fluted pasta wheel to roll through the middle of the pinched area between the next pillow. Repeat all the way down until all of the agnolotti have been cut. Inspect your agnolotti to make sure they are sealed at the edges, and pinch together as needed.

Line up the agnolotti on an offset palette knife and use it to transfer the pasta to the sheet pan and line up the pasta in evenly spaced rows to be refrigerated or for prolonged storage. Freeze the pasta on the tray, then transfer the agnolotti to a sealable plastic storage bag and freeze until you’re ready to use.

Make the parmesan crisp: Just before making the parmesan crisps, finely grate the parmesan on a rasp grater. It is important to use freshly grated parmesan to make sure the cheese knits together. Heat the nonstick pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese in an even layer covering the bottom of the pan by about ⅛ inch. Cook the parmesan until it forms a lacy pattern and becomes golden brown. Use a small offset palette knife to remove the crisp from the pan. While it is still hot, drape the crisp over a small cup. Allow the crisp to cool. The crisps may be made up to 1 hour ahead of time and stored in a dry area.

Make the agnolotti: Fill the stockpot with water, bring it to a simmer, and season with salt. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chicken stock and water mixture to the sauté pan and bring to a simmer. Add butter to the sauté pan, and season with salt and champagne vinegar. The champagne vinegar will cut through the fat and elevate the flavor.

Drop the agnolotti into the pasta water, and stir gently to prevent the agnolotti from settling on the bottom and sticking. Cook the pasta until the agnolotti float to the surface. The time depends on the size of the pasta and whether it has been frozen. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce. While the pasta is poaching, the butter will be emulsifying into the chicken stock to form the sauce. Once the agnolotti float to the surface, use a skimmer to transfer them to the sauté pan.

Swirl the agnolotti in the sauce to coat them. Adjust the consistency with more stock, if necessary. Add a little more butter to form a tight emulsion. Spoon in the peas and bacon, and cook until they are heated through. Remove from heat and spoon the agnolotti, garnish, and sauce into a serving dish. Finish by placing the parmesan crisp on top.