Agnolotti Bagoss : Chef Alessandro Pavoni

“I see my role on MasterChef as a mentor. MasterChef is an amazing platform for these cooks to develop their skills and learn from the best. It’s important for me that the contestants get the most that they can from the experience and they learn how to make some great dishes at a high standard.” Chef Alessandro Pavoni.

In the current season of Australian MasterChef Sydney Chef, Brescian Alessandro Pavoni tied in a cook off with MasterChef fan favourite Dani Venn to deliver her a MasterChef immunity pin at a critical time in the final stages of the competition.

The huge northern Italian chef/owner of Ormeggio the Spit and the soon to be opened Spiedo at Centrepoint’s new Westfield was bought back to the MasterChef kitchen again with his apprentice Alex Keene to turn the heat up on the 25 year old Melbourne Publicist Venn.

Following his appearance on MasterChef Chef Alessandro Pavoni generously shares one of his recipes with you on Inside Cuisine. Now you can give it a try at home. For more on Chef Alessandro Pavoni you can also see his Risotto Masterclass here on Inside Cuisine.

Agnolotti Bagoss, Basil Sauce, Crisp Anchovies and Tomato

Ingredients
TOMATOES
250g rock salt
6 baby roma tomatoes, halved
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
FILLING
500ml pure cream
150g baboss cheese, grated
1.5 leaves of gold leaf gelatine softened in cold water and excess water removed
PASTA
210g “00″ flour, sieved
90g semolina flour, sieved
4 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
BASIL
2 bunches basil, leaves removed
100g baby spinach
150ml extra virgin olive oil
100ml cold water
40g grated parmesan cheese
ANCHOVY CRUMBLE
5 anchovies
10g butter
20g breadcrumbs
1/2 cup semolina, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 120 degrees C.

2. For tomatoes, cover the base of a shallow oven tray with rock salt, place tomatoes on top, cut side up and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 50 minutes or until semi-dried.

3. For filling, pour cream into a deep frying pan and place over a high heat. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium and gentle boil, stirring regularly until cream has reduced to 1/2 of original volume. Adjust heat as required to ensure cream does not boil over.

4. For pasta, place all ingredients in a food processor and process until mixture forms a ball. Turn onto a floured bench and knead for 5 – 7 minutes until dough is elastic and smooth. Wrap in plastic and rest in refrigerator for 15 – 20 minutes.

5. For basil oil, bring a small saucepan half filled with water to the boil, blanch basil and spinach for 10 seconds. Remover and refresh in iced water. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Place in a deep bowl, add water, oil and parmesan cheese and using a stick blender, process until smooth. Stir and process again if required.

6. Remove cream from heat, add gelatine and stir until dissolved. Pour into a metal bowl, add cheese and stir until combined. Place cream bowl over a bowl of ice and stir until mixture has cooled completely. Mixture will be quite firm but pliable. Spoon into a piping bag and place in the refrigerator until required.

7. For anchovy crumb, place anchovies in a small frying pan and dry fry for 1-2 minutes. Add butter and breadcrumbs, pan fry for 2-3 minutes until breadcrumb has turn golden. Transfer to the chopper attachment of a stick blender and process until mixture resembles course crumbs.

8. Divide rested pasta into 4. Take one pasta ball and laminate from the largest setting down to the second smallest setting taking care to pass the dough through each setting 2-3 times. Repeat with remaining pasta if required.

9. Take one sheet of pasta and lay it flat on the bench. Pipe filling at 10cm intervals along the centre of the pasta sheet. Fold the pasta in half lengthways and press firmly around the filling, ensuring to press all the air out between the filling and the pasta sheet. Pour semolina onto a small oven tray. Cut out agnolotti using a crimping tool cutting 5mm-10mm from the filling, place on semolina and toss gently to dust.

10. Place saucepan half filled with water over a high heat, bring to a simmer and add salt. Gently add filled agnolotti and cook until pasta floats to the water surface. Remove and drain.

11. To serve, brush basil oil across the plate, arrange 5 agnolotti on the plate with 5 semi dried tomatoes, sprinkle pasta with anchovy crumble, finely grated parmesan cheese and drizzle witha few drops of olive oil.