Briny and Beet-Bright Agnolotti

Joe Frillman

The Agnolotti at New American restaurant Daisies surprises with its striking color and unexpected flavor combination. It’s been on the menu from the beginning, proudly winning over diners and bragging rights as a chef’s signature. Joe Frillman, executive chef/owner, makes the pasta dish by first poaching, peeling and puréeing beets. “When creating the filling, we press the beets to dry them out so they don’t soak through the pasta dough. We then combine the beets with ricotta that’s also been pressed for the filling,” he says.

To make the pasta sauce, Frillman repurposes the pressed liquid from the ricotta and beets, combining it with butter. To finish the dish, the agnolotti is topped with crème fraîche, dill and trout roe. “It has the sweetness and earthiness from the beets, which goes well with the salty brininess from the trout roe and dill,” says Frillman. “I think this one’s a favorite because it tends to surprise people. It’s not always the first pasta people order here, but when they try it, they’re usually shocked at how well the flavors work together. This dish often becomes an unexpected favorite. It even surprises me with how good it is when I haven’t eaten it in a while!”

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