Agnolotti del plin are the tiny, pinched filled pasta of the Langhe and Monferrato—among the most refined and technically demanding pasta shapes in all of Italy, their diminutive size and meticulous construction reflecting Piedmont's aristocratic culinary heritage. The name 'plin' means 'pinch' in Piedmontese dialect, referring to the technique of sealing each individual pasta parcel by pinching the dough between thumb and forefinger. The canonical filling is a mixture of braised meats—typically a combination of beef, pork, and rabbit (or veal), slow-cooked in Barolo or Barbera wine until falling apart—bound with egg, Parmigiano, and a handful of cooked greens (spinach, escarole, or borage). The filling is placed in small dots along a thin sheet of egg pasta, the dough folded over, and each agnolotto sealed with the signature pinch, then cut apart with a fluted pastry wheel. The result is tiny—barely larger than a coin—and each one contains a concentrated burst of braised meat flavour. The traditional serving is 'al tovagliolo' (on a napkin): the freshly cooked agnolotti are drained, placed on a linen napkin without sauce, and eaten with the fingers, the napkin absorbing excess moisture while the filling's richness provides all the sauce needed. More commonly today, they are dressed with butter and sage (burro e salvia), the pan juices from a roast (sugo d'arrosto), or simply with the braising liquid from the meat filling. The sfoglia must be rolled extraordinarily thin—the pasta should be nearly translucent—so that each agnolotto is almost entirely filling with the merest veil of egg dough around it. This thinness, combined with the tiny size, demands a pasta-maker of exceptional skill.
Roll sfoglia extremely thin—nearly translucent. Fill with braised meat mixture bound with egg and cheese. Seal with the characteristic pinch (plin). Small size—barely larger than a coin. Serve al tovagliolo, with butter and sage, or sugo d'arrosto.
The meat filling should be made from Sunday's leftover braised meats—this is the traditional origin. Braise the meat in good Barbera or Barolo. The filling must be completely cold before filling. A touch of nutmeg in the filling is traditional Piedmontese. Count on 15-20 agnolotti per person as a primo.
Making them too large (they should be tiny). Rolling dough too thick. Over-filling (they burst). Not achieving a proper seal with the pinch. Drowning in heavy sauce (the filling is the star).
Slow Food Foundation; Claudia Roden, The Food of Italy; Giovanni Goria, La Cucina del Piemonte