Agnolotti (Traditional Filled Pasta)

Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 oz of butter and as soon as the butter has melted, add the peeled garlic clove and thinly sliced onion. Ass soon as they start to brown, add the meat and turn heat down to low. Brown the meat on all sides, then dust with 1 tbsp flour. Season with salt and add the tomato sauce and enough broth to completely cover the meat. Cook over low heat until the meat is soft, but not falling apart. Then, remove the pan from the heat.

Remove the meat from the sauce and set the sauce aside for later. Chop the meat in a food processor with the spinach (previously blanched for a couple of minutes in boiling water and well drained.) Transfer the chopped meat and spinach to a bowl and stir in an egg yolk, a generous amount of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, a pinch of pepper and a dusting of nutmeg.

Then prepare the pasta dough by forming a well with the flour. Add 4 eggs and the remaining egg white to the center and begin incorporating the flour. Add a drop of water if necessary. Knead until you have a smooth dough. Let the dough rest for 20 minute, covered with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.

Using a rolling pin or pasta machine, roll out the dough into two thin sheets. On the first sheet place a tbsp of pasta stuffing 1 ½ to 2 inches from one another. Cover with the other sheet and squeeze the dough around the filling to remove any air. Use a pasta cutter or knife blade to cut out the agnolotti.

Cook the agnolotti in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Then remove using a slotted spoon and toss with the previously prepared sauce, reheated for a couple of minutes. Also add the remaining melted butter and a good amount of grated cheese.

Serve hot.