Le Cirque Agnolotti de Zucca Gialla con Fecata di Anitra e Tartfuo Nero (Squash, Amaretto and Foie Gras Ravioli)

Posted by Tiffany at recipegoldmine.com 2/13/2002 10:01 am

Bright red is hard to achieve naturally when cooking, except in desserts, which can take advantage of red fruits, points out Marc Poidevin, executive chef of Le Cirque and Circo in Bellagio.

"Bright red in food is very difficult. Heart-shaped, yes, we can do a lot," Poidevin says.

His solution to the culinary conundrum is a stuffing of squash, amaretto and foie gras inside heart-shaped ravioli pouches.

Farce (stuffing):
2 butternut squash
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 ounce Amaretto liqueur
1/2 ounce parmigiana reggiano cheese, finely grated
3 amaretto cookies, crushed
2 slices grade A foie gras, 3 ounces each

Pasta:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semolina flour
2 pinches salt
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Other ingredients:
Salt for water
1/4 pound butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
16-20 thin slices shaved black truffles, shaved

To make the farce, cut the squash in half lengthwise and discard seeds. Season with salt and pepper, and wrap in foil. Bake at 425 degrees F for 35 minutes, until cooked thoroughly. Let cool and pass through a food mill.

In a saut pan, brown the butter and deglaze with the Amaretto liqueur. As soon as the liqueur is evaporated, add the drained squash and stir until all is incorporated.

Take off heat and let cool. To the cooled farce, add the cheese and cookies. Season to taste. Set aside to make into agnolotti, which are the pasta pouches.

Take the foie gras and season with salt and pepper. Sear it, and then let cool. Cut cooled foie gras into 1/4-inch cubes.

To make the pasta, mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Crack eggs into the center of the flour and mix with a fork. Incorporate the eggs and olive oil until all of the flour is worked into the pasta. If need be, add a drop or two of water.

Take the pasta out of the bowl and knead for 2 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap tightly, allow to rest for 20 minutes.

Roll pasta out into 2 sheets, each about 1/4-inch thick. With your cutter, lightly make impressions on one sheet of dough, to show where to place the farce. Space the impressions far enough apart to allow an adequate margin of dough to seal each pouch.

Place about a teaspoon of stuffing on each impression. On each spoonful, top with a piece of diced foie gras.

Top the first pasta sheet with the second and cut out heart shapes. They will be about 2 1/2 inches wide. Lightly press out any of the air in the pouches, then place on a well-floured sheet pan. Boil immediately.

To cook the agnolotti, place in salted water for 2-3 minutes. In a saut pan, melt butter. Take cooked pasta out of the water, place in pan, toss lightly and season.

Arrange 5 or 6 agnolotti on each plate, and top each with 1 teaspoon Parmesan and 4-5 truffle shavings.

Makes 4 servings.