Pasta Class 2 - Filled Pastas

Capalacci with Butternut Squash

Pasta:

• 300g (~4.5 cups) Flour
• 9 Eggs
• 3 Egg Yolks

Filling:

• 1 kg Butternut Squash (or Pumpkin)
• 1 Egg
• 200g Parmigiano Reggiano
• 6 Amaretto Cookies
• 40 mL Mostarda di Cremona
• Nutmeg
• Salt and Pepper

Sauce:

• Unsalted Butter
• Sage

Grind the cookies finely in a food processor, and set aside.

Grind the Parmigiano cheese finely in a food processor, and set aside.

Roast the squash until soft. Scoop out of the skins and sieve or rice while warm for a smooth puree. Alternatively blend it in the food processor.

Blend the egg, Parmigiano, squash, cookies, mostarda, and nutmeg into a smooth, baby-food sort of consistency. Add cookie crumbs as needed to firm the mix.

Roll the pasta dough (to #5 of 9, where 9 is thinnest) into 8 cm squares. Work quickly so that the dough doesn't dry out. If necessary, cover squares with a moist towel.

Pipe a dollop of filling into the centre of each square. NOTE: Piping is the way to go... it's quicker and cleaner than spooning. This can be done with a plastic bag if you don't have a piping bag.

Fold the square corner-to-corned to create a triangle, and seal (using a bit of water if the dough isn't sticking). Now wrap the triangle around your finger to join the two isosceles angles. Voila! Capalacci - "hats."

Cook the pasta in boiling water, and serve with sage butter.

Meat Agnolotti
Lots of work. Very Tasty.

• 1 recipe pasta dough (see above)
• 100g Pancetta, diced
• 300g Chicken thighs, diced (bones and skin removed)
  
• 400g Veal Shoulder, diced
• 1 small Onion, diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 sprigs Sage
• 30 ml Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 500 ml Beef broth
• 50g Pamigiano Reggiano
• 60g Peccorino Romano
• Nutmeg

Heat olive oil in a large pan. Toss the veal in first. Let it sit for a few minutes; don't mess with it. Add the chicken and pancetta, spreading the meat over the pan, and let brown a bit before adding the onion and garlic. Stir occasionally to brown on all sides. You're looking for a deep brown crust and some nice fon at the bottom of the pan. This could take a 1/2 hour or more.

De-glaze with some of the beef stock, and evaporate. Repeat several times.

Add the remaining beef stock and braise, covered, for 60 to 90 minutes. Remove meat, and reduce liquids over high heat.

Puree the meat with some of the braising liquid and the cheese. Season to taste.

To Roll: Pipe the filling on the pasta sheet about 1 cm thick along the long side. Fold the sheet over and press gently, pinch the log between your thumb and forefinger (facing downward) at a 2 cm interval. Push the log down onto the excess dough. Trim excess dough with the fluted cutter. Seal and separate the agnolotti with the fluted cutter.

Smaller agnolotti can be served in a rich fortified broth, or with brown sage butter, truffles, etc.