HERB-STREAKED AGNOLOTTI WITH TRUFFLED POTATO AND CURD FILLING

by Leah Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • PASTA DOUGH
  • 500g ‘OO’ flour
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 8 egg yolks
  • 8 sage leaves, very finely sliced
  • AGNOLOTTI FILLING
  • 2 medium potatoes
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 10g truffle, finely grated
  • 200g sheep’s curd
  • 1 bunch chives, very finely sliced
  • sea salt flakes and freshly-ground black pepper
  • beaten egg, for brushing
  • PISTACHIO CROSTOLLI
  • 75g pistachios, lightly toasted
  • 200g plain flour
  • 2 tsp caster sugar
  • 1 bunch parsley, very finely chopped
  • sea salt flakes and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp dry white wine
  • vegetable oil, for deep-frying
  • ROAST ONION SABAYON
  • 4 medium red onions
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 head garlic
  • ½ bunch thyme
  • ½ cup dry sherry
  • 4 egg yolks
  • GARNISH
  • fine radish salad
  • finely sliced chives

Instructions

PASTA DOUGH
1 Combine the flour, salt, eggs and yolks in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture forms a rough dough. Turn out onto the bench, knead gently, then wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2 Roll out the dough through a pasta machine to 3mm thick, fold up, turn 90°, then roll again. Scatter with the sage, fold up, turn 90° and roll again. Continue rolling until the dough is 1½ mm thick. Cover and rest for 5 minutes, but no longer.

AGNOLOTTI FILLING
1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Put the potatoes on a small tray and bake for 1 hour, until very soft. Scoop out the flesh and press through a fine sieve, then mix immediately with the olive oil. Allow to cool. Mix in the truffle, curd and chives, then season with salt and pepper.

AGNOLOTTI ASSEMBLY
1 Trim the rolled pasta to 15cm wide strips, then brush with beaten egg. Load the filling into a piping bag then pipe two-teaspoon amounts 5cm apart close to the near edge. Fold the pasta over to enclose, pressing around the edges to exclude any air. Use a fluted rolling cutter to trim and separate the pieces, then fold the edges lightly to form individual parcels. Refrigerate covered for up to 6 hours.

PISTACHIO CROSTOLLI
1 Combine the pistachios, four and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the nuts are fine. Season with salt and pepper, then add the parsley, eggs, butter and wine, pulsing until a dough forms. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2 Roll out through a pasta machine to 4mm thick, then cut into 4cm x 1cm rectangles with a fluted rolling cutter. Make an incision in the centre of the rectangles, then put one end through the hole and pull through. Fry in vegetable oil until golden and crisp, then drain on kitchen paper.

ROAST ONION SABAYON
1 Toss the onions in garlic and thyme, then wrap in foil and bake for 40 minutes. Unwrap then remove onion and garlic skin and purée. Pass through a fine sieve.
2 Combine with the egg yolks and sherry in a heat proof bowl and whisk well. Set over a saucepan of simmering water, then cook, whisking constantly, until foamy and thickened. COOK THIS MIXTURE AT THE LAST POSSIBLE MINUTE.

TO COOK
1 Cook the agnolotti in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well. Spoon sabayon into bowls then top with agnolotti, crostolli, radish salad and chives.