Photos by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Agnolotti are similar to ravioli but rectangular in shape and made from a single sheet of pasta that is folded in half. This is a hearty vegetarian filling consisting of freshly toasted walnuts, roasted mushrooms, fresh herbs and umami-rich pecorino cheese. Once the nuts and mushrooms are roasted, everything is blended together in a food processor. The mixture can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Extra filling is delicious spread on crackers or bread.

Serves 4

1 cup walnuts
1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil salt, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup grated pecorino cheese
freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 recipe Basic Pasta Dough

To make the filling, preheat the oven to 325°F. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed sheet pan and toast in the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the nuts are lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.

Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Spread the mushrooms out onto the sheet pan and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Roast for 35–40 minutes, or until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are browned and caramelized. Allow to cool before transferring to the food processor with the walnuts.

Add the thyme, parsley and pecorino to the food processor and pulse together until the mixture is mostly uniform and resembles wet, pebbly sand. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, taste and add more salt and some freshly ground pepper if you like. Pulse a few more times until uniform. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag or large zip-top bag and snip about ½ inch from the tip.

To assemble and cook the agnolotti, roll out the first piece of pasta dough according to my recipe for Basic Pasta Dough. If you haven’t already, cut the sheet of dough in half so you have two 5-inch by 16-inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle lengthwise so you have two 2½-inch by 16-inch pieces.

Pipe a continuous line of filling in the middle of each sheet of pasta. Carefully brush or mist the dough with water, then fold over the dough to meet the edges. You should have one long rope of filled pasta with a flat edge that is about ¼ inch wide. Press out any air pockets and seal around the filling all the way to the edges of the dough.

Using the side of your pinky finger, crimp the filled dough firmly at 2-inch increments. With a knife or pastry wheel, cut through the crimped sections. Transfer agnolotti to a floured sheet pan and repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the agnolotti (depending on the size of your pot, you may need to cook them in two batches) and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes, or until they rise to the surface and the pasta is cooked through. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer them to a serving bowl and continue cooking the rest.

Serve tossed with olive oil or melted butter and extra grated pecorino on top.

This recipe appeared in the Fall 2022 issue as part of a larger story on Stuffed Pastas.