Langhe, Piedmont
Agnolotti al plin ('pinched' in Piemontese) are the iconic stuffed pasta of the Langhe: tiny, almost square parcels of egg pasta filled with a slow-braised mixture of veal, pork, and rabbit, with spinach, Parmigiano, and a scraping of the roasting pan juices. The plin (pinch) seals them with a characteristic pinch-crease. They are among the most technically demanding of Italian stuffed pastas — the filling is cooked and seasoned before use, and the size (each piece the width of a thumb) requires dexterity. Dressed in drippings from the roast, butter, and sage, or sometimes simply in brodo.
Tiny egg pasta parcels of three-meat filling, glistening in roasting pan drippings — the most technically demanding and most beloved pasta of the Piedmontese table
{"Filling: mixed roasted meats, braised together in wine, finely chopped (not ground), bound with egg and Parmigiano","The filling must be very dry — any excess moisture makes the pasta soggy and breaks the seal","Pasta dough: 00 flour and egg yolks only (3–4 extra yolks above standard), rested 1 hour","The plin technique: continuous filling along a strip, pinching between each mound, then cutting with a pastry wheel","Serve immediately in drippings; the tiny size means they cook in 90 seconds"}
{"The 'al plin in brodo' variation (served in clear capon broth) is the most delicate expression — the filling flavour is unmuted by the sauce","The pinch technique improves dramatically with practice — make 20 practice ones before the 'real' batch","Leftover roast scraps from two or three meals, mixed together, make the most complex filling"}
{"Wet filling — the pasta swells and the seal breaks in the cooking water","Standard pasta hydration — the filling's richness requires a leaner, firmer pasta to balance","Overcooking — 90 seconds maximum; they continue cooking in the serving vessel"}
La Cucina del Piemonte — Giovanni Goria