Description: Anolini are small discs of egg pasta stuffed with meat, Parmigiano-Reggiano and breadcrumbs. The meat is cooked for many hours in a stracotto (overcooked) method, leaving it falling apart. The juices from the meat are also used in the filling to rehydrate the breadcrumbs.
Dough: Egg Pasta Dough
Region: Emilia-Romagna, Piacenza
Traditional Sauce: Traditionally served in a meat broth. Typically the broth is “brodo in terza”, a broth consisting of three meats; beef, capon and pork.
Check out our Anolini in Brodo recipe here!
Notes: There are many ways to make the meat filling for anolini. I like to use top round and beef shoulder. The beef shoulder is mostly bone and marrow and not a lot of beef. It is optional but adds a lot of flavor.
Servings: This recipe makes roughly 250 1″ anolini. For serving, 30 per person is a good portion.
Anolini di Parma
Description
Egg pasta dough stuffed with shredded meat, Parmigiano-Reggiano and breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
Pasta Dough
Braised Beef
Filling
Instructions
Prepare the Beef
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Sear the beef
Generously season the beef with salt and pepper. Place in a preheated dutch oven on medium with a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for 2-4 minutes or until both sides are seared and browned. Reduce the heat to low and add diced onions, thyme, rosemary, garlic and wine.
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Braise the beef
Cover and continue cooking on low for 8-12 hours. If needed add more wine to avoid the meat from burning.
Transfer the beef to the fridge if making the day ahead or allow to cool before continuing with the filling. Keep and reserve the cooking liquid to use in the filling.
This method is called stracotto (overcooked). We want to cook the meat until it is falls apart.
Make the filling
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Chop the meat
Using a butcher knife or mezzaluna finely chop. It should be as fine as you can make it to keep the filling from being too chunky.
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Prepare the filling
In a large bowl add the breadcrumbs. Hydrate with the reserved cooking liquid that has been warmed. Start with half and slowly add more as needed. the consistency should be that of wet sand. Add the chopped meat, cheese and egg. Mix to form a stiff dough like mixture that will hold its form.
Make the anolini
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Make the pasta dough
Using a large bowl and forming the flour into a well, crack in the eggs and slowly bring together. If the dough seems dry add more water. Knead for around 10 minutes or until the dough is elastic and smooth. Cover and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Eggs are not all created equal and have different weights. Try to aim for 60% hydration for this dough. This means for 600 grams of flour aim for 360 grams of eggs. If your eggs are on the smaller size you can use water to bring it up to the 360 grams. -
Roll out the pasta dough
Once dough is rested cut into 6. Ensure to keep the pieces you are not working with covered so they do not dry out. Using a rolling pin or pasta sheeter roll each piece to the around 1mm. Dust with flour as needed to avoid the dough from sticking.
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Place meat on anolini
Rollout 1/4" pieces of meat filling and place on the dough. There are a few methods. Either place meat on half of the sheet and pasta and cover with another or place on half and fold over itself.
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Stamp out anolini
Using an anolini press or stamp cut out the pasta into little circles. Continue until all the filling is gone.
If you are not going to cook right away you can freeze for several weeks.
See gallery for more details pictures
Cook the anolini
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Simmer anolini
Simmer in broth for 5 minutes fresh or 10 minutes frozen.
