Agnolotti con i Ventrigli del Pollo

 

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) chicken gizzards, trimmed and chopped
• 3.5 oz (100 g) Tuscan kale (cavolo nero), trimmed of thick ribs — any kale may be substituted
• 1 large (1.5 oz, 35 g) shallot, diced
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• nutmeg
• 1 large egg
• butter
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Pasta Dough

• 2 3/4 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 whole large eggs + enough water to equal 1 cup of liquid.
• Egg should be allowed to sit on a counter for about 30 minutes before use.

Directions

Pasta Dough

makes about 1.5 lbs total time: approx. 45 minutes (includes 30 minutes rest)

1. Place all ingredients in food processor and mix until a ball of dough forms, about 30 seconds. Place dough on floured work surface.
2. Dough should not be stick to your fingers but should be moist enough to form a cohesive ball.
3. Begin kneading the dough, adding flour or water, in small amounts, as required. Knead until a smooth dough is achieved, at least 5 minutes. The longer you knead the dough, the better the pasta’s texture will be.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour. If dough is to be rested longer than an hour, place it in the refrigerator. When removed from the refrigerator, temper the dough by leaving it on a counter for 30 minutes before using.

for the filling

1. Heat equal parts butter and olive oil (no more than 3 tbsp total) in a deep frying pan over med-high heat. Once hot, add the shallot and sauté until translucent – about 3 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, roughly chop the cleaned & trimmed kale leaves before placing them in the pan with the shallots. Season lightly with salt & pepper and sauté until wilted.
3. Allow to cool and drain as much liquid as possible from the cooked kale before placing it in a clean kitchen towel. Wring out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
4. In the same frying pan, melt another 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the chicken gizzards, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until fully cooked – about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
5. Once cooled, place the cooked gizzards into a food processor and process until well ground.
6. To the chopped gizzards in the food processor, add the cooked kale, ricotta cheese, Pecorino Romano cheese, egg, nutmeg to taste, and season lightly with salt & pepper. Process until smooth. This is critical.
7. Remove and refrigerate several hours or overnight so that the flavors will blend.

for the agnolotti del plin

• Using a jumbo egg-sized piece of dough, pass it through pasta rollers until thin. My rollers are at the widest setting at “0” and I roll the dough up to and including the no. “7” setting.

1. Place the dough strip on a lightly floured work service, trimming both ends to make an elongated rectangle.
2. Fill a pastry bag with the filling and pipe a line of filling about an inch from the dough strip’s edge.
3. Use a water bottle to mist — or a pastry brush to lightly moisten — the dough on the side of the filling farthest from you. Do not get it too wet or it may split during subsequent steps.
4. Carefully take hold of the dough’s edge and pull it over the piped filling.
5. Use your fingers to press/seal the flap to the moistened dough, eliminating as much air as possible as you work you way down the strip.
6. Use a pastry brush to moisten the top of the seal. – optional (sea Notes)
7. Gently fold the filling roll over the moistened flap – optional
8. Use your index fingers and thumbs to pinch the filling roll at inch intervals.
9. Use a pastry wheel or very sharp knife to first trim away the excess dough
10. Use the same tool to cut the agnolotti at the center of each pinch.
11. Place the agnolotti in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been dusted with corn meal. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. If they are to be cooked relatively quickly, nothing further needs to be done. If they are to be cooked in a couple of hours, they should be placed in the fridge until dinner time. If the are to be cooked later than that evening, place  the baking sheet in the freezer and,once frozen, place the agnolotti in bags or some other container suitable for freezing.

 

Serving Suggestion

The tomato-cream sauce

1. Meanwhile, in a deep fry pan, melt a few tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add about twice as much heavy cream and heat until the butter is melted. Add enough Pecorino Romano cheese to thicken the cream mixture. 2tbsp of tomato paste. Stir and keep hot until the agnolotti are cooked. If the sauce thickens too much, add a bit of the  pasta water to thin it. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.

The agnolotti.

1. Bring to a boil a large pot of salted water over high heat
2. Once the water is boiling rapidly, add the agnolotti and stir. When the water returns to the boil, lower the heat and gently cook the agnolotti.
   • If the agnolotti are fresh or refrigerated, they are fully cooked when all of them float to the surface of the pot of water — just a few minutes.
   • If the agnolotti are frozen, they will take a few minutes longer.

1. If in doubt whether your pasta is fully cooked, sample one.
2. Once cooked to your satisfaction, use a spider strainer to remove the agnolotti from the boiling water and add them to the simmering sauce.
3.  Gently stir to coat the pasta with the sauce and serve immediately, garnished with more grated Pecorino Romano cheese and, fresh parsley and/or basil, if desired.