Cavatelli With Brown Butter Beets Ricotta And Pistachios Recipes

CAVATELLI WITH BROWN BUTTER BEETS, RICOTTA AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine ricotta, orange zest and sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, melt 5 tablespoons of butter. Cook until foam subsides and butter is a deep hazelnut color, about 5 minutes. (Watch carefully to see that it doesn't burn.) Stir in beets and season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until beets are very tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook cavatelli until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid.
• Transfer pasta to a large warmed serving bowl. Toss with remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the grated cheese and most of the reserved liquid. Toss well; add remaining cooking liquid if necessary to reach a creamy consistency. Stir in beet mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Dollop spoonfuls of seasoned ricotta on top of pasta and sprinkle with pistachios and cracked black pepper.

CAVATELLI WITH PEAS AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water, then drain.
• Heat the olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water, 1 teaspoon pepper and the peas in the same pot over medium-high heat. Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until the peas are tender and the butter melts, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Return the pasta to the pot along with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the parmesan and 3/4 cup cooking water. Stir until creamy, adding the remaining cooking water as needed to loosen. Stir in the arugula, basil and mint. Divide among bowls.
• Mix the ricotta and lemon zest in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Dollop on each serving of pasta. Drizzle with olive oil and season with more pepper.

BAKED CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
• In a large skillet cook the sausage, onion, and garlic until sausage is brown; remove from skillet. Drain.
• In a large bowl stir together pasta sauce, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and the pepper. Add the cooked pasta and the drained sausage mixture. Stir gently to combine. Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart casserole.*.
• Bake, covered, in a 375°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until nearly heated through. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.
• My card says it feeds 5 to 6, and I say a family of four -- and a sad ol'doggie -- for licking the casserole dish clean -- .

HANDMADE ITALIAN RICOTTA CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Put 2 1/2 cups of the flour into a bowl, make a well in the flour, and add the cheese and eggs. Gradually work the mixture together, adding more flour if necessary, to make a soft but not sticky dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it is smooth. Let the dough rest at room temperature, covered with an inverted bowl or wrapped in plastic, for 30 minutes.
• Form the dough into a round and cut into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time (cover the remaining dough with an inverted bowl to keep the dough from drying out), on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rope 1/4 inch in diameter. With a knife, cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces. With your index and third fingers held together, gently press down on each piece, beginning at the top and moving down toward the bottom, dragging your fingers toward you and causing the pasta to roll over on itself. Transfer the formed pasta to a lightly floured jelly-roll pan and let dry at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
• Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook until the cavatelli are al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. They're done when they float up to the top. Drain and toss the desired quantity with your favorite sauce. Freeze leftovers.

HOMEMADE CAVATELLI PASTA

Steps:

• Mix semolina flour and salt in a large bowl or on a marble work surface. Make a well in the center.
• Pour water into the well a little at a time, mixing it with the flour. Add as much water as needed to make a sticky but compact dough.
• Knead dough with your hands by flattening the ball, stretching it, and folding the top towards the center. Turn 45 degrees and repeat until dough is elastic and smooth, but not too soft, about 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into a ball. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before using. If you are using the cavatelli within a few hours or the following day, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
• Work with one portion of the dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered to keep it from drying out. Dust a work surface with semolina flour; roll out the dough to make a rope, about 1/3 inch thick.
• Cut off little 1/3-inch-thick pieces. Press and gently drag the small piece of dough towards you with your index and middle finger. The two sides will curl inwards, leaving hollow spaces.
• Proceed the same way with the rest of the dough. Transfer cavatelli to a floured surface and sprinkle with more semolina flour. Do not overlap cavatelli or they will stick together. Let dry for about 30 minutes before cooking.

JAN'S CAVATELLI WITH BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook cavatelli in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 9 to 11 minutes. Drain.
• Fill the same pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add broccoli rabe; cook until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain.
• Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and onion; cook and stir until sausage is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in broccoli rabe, roasted red peppers, and garlic. Cook until flavors combine, about 5 minutes.
• Dissolve chicken stock with white wine and water in a small bowl. Whisk in cornstarch. Pour chicken stock mixture into the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Pour sauce over cooked cavatelli and top with Parmesan cheese. Toss lightly and serve.

CAVATELLI WITH ARUGULA & RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, olives, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, black pepper, and cayenne and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the cavatelli until al dente.
• Drain it well and return it to the pan.
• Add the arugula and the olive-oil mixture, folding gently until the ingredients are combined.
• Let sit until the arugula has wilted, about 3 minute.
• Sprinkle with the ricotta salata just before serving.

CAVATELLI WITH BEETS AND SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Remove and discard crust from bread, and pulse bread in food processor into soft, small crumbs. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Combine breadcrumbs and rosemary in a small bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons olive oil onto a plate or a shallow bowl. Coat each round of goat cheese in olive oil, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Arrange cheese on the prepared parchment-lined pan or on a large plate, and place in the refrigerator to chill until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut beets in half, and toss with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange beets in one layer on aluminum foil, cut side down, and place rosemary sprig on top of the beets. Cover beets with another piece of aluminum foil, and seal the edges all around, creating a rectangular packet. Bake on the lowest shelf of the oven until beets are fork tender, about 30 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel beets; cut the larger ones in half, and set aside.
• Strip chard leaves from stems. Discard stems, or saute for later use. Rinse and drain the leaves. Do not dry them. Place chard leaves in a large pot over medium heat, and sprinkle them with 2 teaspoons salt. Cover pot, and cook over medium heat, opening the lid only to stir, until just wilted. Remove from the heat, return to the colander, and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking. Using your hands, gently squeeze any excess water from chard, and coarsely chop; you should have about 2 cups. Set chard aside, but leave the pot on stove.
• Meanwhile, fill a pasta pot with water, and set over high heat. Bring to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt, and stir in pasta. Let cook until pasta is al dente, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain in a colander, and set aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in the chard pot over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook slowly until garlic is just toasted, stirring often. Add chard, remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and saute until chard is wilted, about 3 minutes. Add pasta, toss, and cook just until hot. Adjust seasoning to taste with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and transfer pasta to a large serving platter. Arrange beets over pasta.
• Bake cheese in the oven until very soft to the touch, heated through, and golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven, arrange hot cheese around platter of pasta, and serve immediately.