Piemonte, Origin of Agnolotti Pasta and Brasato al Barolo

Ciao tutti, as we continue our visit in Piemonte we are going to talk about two very special dishes that are especially delicious, Agnolotti, a generously filled pasta dumpling, and a slow red wine braised beef dish, Brasato al Barolo.

Agnolotti are a type of pasta native to the region of Piemonte. They are made by filling small pieces of flat pasta dough with filling made of meat or vegetable. They are comparable to what we know as a ravioli but with one major difference, an agnolotti should never have cheese in the filling mixture.

Legend has it the agnolotti were first crated by a man named Angiolino. Signore Angiolino lived in the Montferrat region of Piemonte and to this day is credited as the originator of this hearty and delicious pasta. It is believed that the earliest meat filling for the agnolotti was made from donkey meat. Even today some piemontese kitchens continue the use of this authentic filling.

Agnolotti filled with vegetable are known as di Magro, skinny or without fat or, when filled with meat, di Grasso, fatty, or of the fat. One of my favorite fillings for agnolotti is mushroom. I really enjoy the earthy flavor and the lightness of agnolotti prepared in this manner.

In the original form, agnolotti were in a halfmoon shape. Although they can still be found in the halfmoon shape today, they are most often made in the form of a square with sides about one to two inches in length. When I make agnolotti the halfmoon form continues to be my preference.

A second type of agnolotti is a rectangular shape that is pinched between the thumb and forefinger to close the pasta and produce a product that looks a little more like elongated tortellini. For this reason, they are called al Plin which means to the pinch. Agnolotti al Plin should always filled with some type of meat rather than a vegetable mixture.

Agnolotti are cooked by immersing them in gently boiling water and cooking them until they float. They are served in beef stock, melted butter and garnished with fresh sage, or simply dressed with a simple sauce of melted butter and sage. Of course, in true Piemonte tradition both preparations are topped with a generous amounts of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Brasato al Barolo, meaning “braised in Barolo”, is a classic dish that hails from Piemonte. The dish uses the slow cooking method of braising to develop the gracious flavors of Piemonte creating a main course meal that’s is very impressive. I serve this meal often when entertaining, as it does not require a watchful eye, which allows you the opportunity to spend quality time with your guests.

Brisket in the traditional cut of meat used in the preparation of Brasato. The beef brisket is harvested from the breast of the animal, beneath the first five ribs, where it supports the animal’s weight when standing and moving. This makes for an exceptionally lean cut that takes well to slow cooking or braising. Good quality brisket is remarkably tender after some time in a braise or slow cooker, you’ll be thrilled by its beefy succulence.

The recipe,

· 48-ounce good quality flat brisket

· 2 onions, chopped

· 3 medium carrots, chopped

· 2 fresh bay leaves

· 1 to 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

· 4 to 5 juniper berries

· 1 bottle Barolo or other dry Piedmont red wine

· 3 tablespoons butter

· 4 tablespoons virgin olive oil

· ½ cup dry Marsala wine or cognac

· 2 tablespoons flour

Put all the vegetables and spices in a large resealable food safe plastic bag, add the beef and cover with the wine. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight, or a minimum of 10 hours.

Heat a heavy-bottom pot large enough to hold the beef and wine over medium-high heat. Melt half of the butter with all the oil. Take the beef out of the marinade, pat dry of excess moisture, season with salt and pepper, and sear it in the hot pot browning all sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove all the vegetables from the wine in the bag and add them to the beef, stirring until you develop a nice brown color.

Add the wine to the pan, reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally and turning the beef to ensure that it cooks evenly on all sides.

Pour the Marsala or cognac into the pot and continue to cook a few more minutes. Take the beef out of the pan and set it on a carving board.

Remove and discard the bay leaves and juniper berries. To strain the broth, put the wine and vegetables in a food mill or pour through a fine mesh sieve, applying pressure to the vegetables to extract all the juice. Reserve the juice and the vegetable puree.

In a saucepan, melt the remaining butter. Add the flour and cook for a few minutes, being careful not to brown the mixture. Add the wine and vegetable puree and cook until the sauce thickens slightly.

Slice the meat against the grain, arrange it on a serving plate, and pour the hot wine sauce on top. Traditionally this dish is served atop a wonderful creamy polenta.

Our brief visit to Piemonte will end here for now. I hope you enjoyed it and will try your hand at preparing some of the dished we touched on during out time there.

In my next issue we will take a tour through a small province just north of Piemonte high in the mountains nestled next to France and Switzerland, Val D’Aosta, where French, Swiss and Piemonte influences have created a cuisine which proudly boasts an entirely unique set of dishes despite being the smallest region in Italy.

Until then, alla prossima!

Buon cibo e buon appetito a tutti!!

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Chef John,