Cotechino In Crosta With Shallots And Pear Sauce

Preparation:

Preparation: Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and milk mixture. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Sift the flour into a large bowl, make a well and pour in half the beaten egg, the diluted yeast and a scant tablespoon of oil. Work the ingredients first with a fork and then with your hands and, when they are blended, transfer the dough onto the floured surface and work it energetically for about ten minutes until it becomes perfectly homogeneous, soft and compact. Gather it into a ball, place it in a floured salad bowl and make two cross cuts on it. Cover it with a cloth folded in four and place it in a warm place (27-28 degrees) to let it rise. When the dough has doubled in volume and the cuts are completely open (it will take a couple of hours) it will be ready for use. Boil the cotechino by putting it in initially cold water and letting it cook for about two hours on a very moderate heat, then let it cool down immersed in the cooking water. Separate about ten spinach leaves from the stems, choosing the larger outer ones, wash them and dip them in boiling water for a minute. Pull them up, pass them in cold water, spread them on a double layer of kitchen paper and use them to completely coat the cotechino. Briefly knead the leavened dough and roll it out to a thickness of half a cm, place the cotechino in the center and cut the dough into a rectangle. Wet the edges of the pasta with cold water and wrap it around the cotechino, sealing well. Brush the roll with the beaten egg then, with the help of a large spatula, transfer it to a buttered pan and place it in the preheated oven at 200 degrees, leaving it to cook for about half an hour until it is golden brown. Blanch the shallots for a minute in boiling water, then peel and brown them in a pan with three tablespoons of oil, add salt and, when they begin to brown, sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar which you will allow to caramelise, stirring constantly. Wet with two tablespoons of vinegar, add the cloves, the broth and a pinch of tarragon. Cover and cook gently for about a quarter of an hour. Peel the pears, cut them into wedges and boil them for a quarter of an hour in water acidulated with three tablespoons of vinegar. Drain them and pass them to the mixer, incorporating a teaspoon of sugar, the horseradish and a generous grind of pepper. When the cotechino is cooked, place it on a serving plate and serve piping hot surrounded by shallots and accompanied by the pear sauce.