Piedmont Stuffed Pasta - Agnolotti del Plin

Agnolotti del Plin are Piedmont’s small stuffed pasta, named for the pinch that seals the filling inside the dough. The beauty of the dish is precision: thin pasta, a fine savoury filling and small parcels that cook quickly.

The filling is often based on cooked meat, sometimes with greens, cheese and egg to bind it. It should be tasty enough to stand on its own but dry enough not to burst through the pasta.

The Pinch That Defines Agnolotti del Plin

“Plin” refers to the small pinch used to close the pasta between each mound of filling. That pinch is not decorative. It removes air and creates the shape that helps the pasta hold together in boiling water.

Work with small amounts of filling. If the mounds are too large, the pasta becomes hard to seal and the balance between dough and filling is lost.

Ingredients for Piedmont Stuffed Pasta

300 g fresh egg pasta dough, rolled thinly.
250 g cooked meat filling, finely chopped or minced.
50 g cooked greens, squeezed dry.
Parmigiano Reggiano for savoury depth.
1 egg yolk to bind.
Butter and sage or roast juices for serving.
Salt and pepper.

Preparing the Filling

The filling should be fine, moist but not wet. If using leftover braised meat, reduce any sauce first and add only enough to flavour the mixture. Wet filling makes the pasta difficult to close.

Taste before filling the pasta. Once sealed, the seasoning cannot be fixed.

Shaping and Cooking

Roll the pasta thinly, place small dots of filling in a line, fold the pasta over and press around each mound. Pinch between the mounds, then cut into small parcels.

Cook in gently boiling salted water. They are small and do not need long. Serve with butter and sage, roast juices or a light meat sauce.