One of the beauties of Italian cuisine is how with a little bit of know-how, you can turn just a handful of ingredients into something beautiful, ethereal even. Such is the case with plin, one of the classic dishes of Piedmont. The name itself comes the Italian word “to pinch,” which is exactly what one does to form the agnolotti, which can be likened to small ravioli.
What we do is make a simple pasta dough and roll it out thin. Inside each little square of dough, we add in a bit of braised pork shoulder and cabbage, as well as some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. This combination of braised or roasted meat and a cooked vegetable is the classic formula for plin throughout Piedmont. With so much flavor in the filling, all that’s needed to sauce the dish is some butter and chives (as well as a bit more Parmigiano-Reggiano on top).
It’s as simple a dish as there is on the menu, and yet it’s been a staple for the last few years, with its cadre of devoted fans. If you haven’t given it a try, do; it’s the ultimate Italian comfort food, and with the weather these days being so unpredictable, it’s a great way to salvage a rainy summer day.
