This beer-infused brown butter sauce and agnolotti, a type of pasta typical of the Piedmont region of Italy, is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Active preparation time: 1 hour
Total time: 2 hours
Serves: 4
Wheat-Beer Pasta Dough
3 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs
½ cup (4 fl oz/118 ml) wheat beer
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a hook attachment, combine the flour and salt until they’re thoroughly mixed. Create an indentation in the dry mixture and add the beer and eggs. Mix for about 6 minutes on low speed to fully incorporate the beer and eggs. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and hand-knead for 10 minutes or until the consistency of the dough is elastic and free of any lumps or air bubbles. Place the dough in a mixing bowl, cover with a towel, and let the dough stand for 30 minutes. The dough may also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
Agnolotti Filling
1 butternut squash, peeled, halved, and seeded
1 large shallot
2 Tbs minced garlic
1 Tbs fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 cup (8 fl oz/237 ml) Oktoberfest
2 Tbs unsalted butter
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Dice the squash into 1-inch (25 mm) pieces. In a deep sauté pan with a lid, combine the squash, shallot, garlic, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, beer, and butter. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 10–12 minutes or until the squash is soft. Place the mixture in a food processor bowl and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool completely before filling pasta.
Agnolotti
½ batch Wheat-Beer Pasta Dough
1 egg, beaten
Using a rolling pin or pasta machine, roll out the dough into thin sheets (the lowest setting on the pasta machine). Cut the pasta sheets into 24–36 inches (60–90 cm) pieces. Place 1 sheet on your work surface. Place 1 tablespoon of filling every 2 inches (5 cm) in rows 2 inches (5 cm) apart across the sheet, leaving a 1-inch (25 mm) border around the edges. Cover with another pasta sheet and press firmly between the fillings to seal each individual agnolotti. Use a pasta cutter or sharp knife to cut out the agnolotti. Repeat until you’ve used all the pasta sheets.
Brown Butter Sauce
8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter
6–8 fresh sage leaves
Zest of 1 orange
2 Tbs (1 fl oz/30 ml) Oktoberfest
Kosher salt
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In a heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat, melt and heat the butter until it starts to darken, 6–8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the sage and orange zest. Let cool to room temperature, then add the beer. To serve, reheat the sauce over low heat just long enough for it to start to bubble. Season to taste with salt.
Cook the agnolotti in the salted boiling water until they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and place directly into the brown butter sauce. Heat for 1 minute.
Beer Suggestions: For the pasta, try 3 Floyds Gumballhead (Munster, Indiana), Bell’s Oberon (Kalamazoo, Michigan), or Boulevard 80-Acre Hoppy Wheat (Kansas City, Missouri). For the Brown Butter Sauce, try Great Lakes Oktoberfest (Cleveland, Ohio), Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen (Aying, Germany), or Left Hand Oktoberfest (Longmont, Colorado).