To prepare the brisket, in a pot, combine the hot water, 4 ounces of the salt, the granulated sugar and 2 ounces of the liquid smoke. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Refrigerate the brine until cold.

Cut the brisket in half. Remove the fat, if desired. Inject as much of the brine as possible into the meat. Place the beef in a large container and pour the remaining brine over the meat. Refrigerate overnight.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 ounce liquid smoke, the molasses and soy sauce. Refrigerate the glaze until ready to use.

In another bowl, stir together the remaining 1 cup salt, the brown sugar, pepper, dark chile powder, paprika, mustard, onion powder and granulated garlic. Store the spice rub in an airtight container at room temperature.   

Remove the beef from the brine, discarding the brine. Generously brush the beef on all sides with the glaze. Vacuum-seal each piece of beef in a separate vacuum-sealable bag according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Using an immersion circulator or a closely monitored pot of water, cook the beef sous vide at 154° for 24 hours, checking every few hours to ensure the seals on the vacuum bags are still secure.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Open the bags of beef, reserving any rendered jus for the filling. Generously brush the beef again with the glaze (reserving 3 tablespoons glaze for the filling), and generously season on all sides with the spice rub; reserve the remaining spice rub for the filling. 

Place the beef on a roasting rack set inside a roasting pan and roast until well caramelized. Let the beef cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use. Shred the beef to use in the filling.

To prepare the basil essence, in a blender, combine the canola oil and olive oil, then add the basil. Blend until smooth, using the plunger if necessary.

Transfer the basil puree to a small stainless steel-saucepan, place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the puree is “army green,” 10 to 15 minutes.

Strain the oil through coffee filters overnight. DO NOT PRESS OR SQUEEZE.

To prepare the tomato coulis, preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, 1/2 cup of the olive oil and the Cajun spice rub. Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast until the skins have blistered and have started releasing their juices.  

Meanwhile, in a heavy pot over medium heat, warm in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the onion and garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the wine, stirring to scrape up the browned bits, then cook until the wine is reduced by three-fourths.

Add the roasted tomatoes with their rendered juices and the bay leaf. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have completely broken down, about 2 hours.

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Working in small batches, puree the tomato sauce in a stand blender, or puree it directly in the pot with an immersion blender. Strain the tomato coulis through a fine-mesh sieve and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.   

To prepare the filling, in a large bowl, combine the beef, mascarpone, ricotta, mozzarella, jack cheese, cheddar, sous vide liquid, glaze, egg, parsley and chives and mix well by hand. Season with the spice rub, salt and pepper.

Transfer the filing to a piping bag with a small opening.

In a large stockpot, bring salted water to a boil over high heat. 

Meanwhile, prepare the agnolotti: Cut 3-inch strips of pasta lengthwise. Brush the edges with some of the egg wash, then place 1 tablespoon of the brisket filling 3 inches apart along the length of the strip. Fold  the top of the pasta down to the bottom edge and pinch closed. Press the dough flat between the mounds of filling. Using a pastry cutter, cut half-moons using the folded part as the flat side of the half-moon. Repeat with the remaining pasta and filling. 

Let the agnolotti stand for 5 to 10 minutes to set up before cooking. Turn down the boiling water to a heavy simmer and cook the pasta until tender.

Gently toss the hot cooked pasta with the tomato coulis. Top with the dry jack cheese and a drizzle of the basil essence.