Cavatelli With Chorizo And Rapini Recipes

SAUSAGE AND RAPINI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then salt generously. Drop in the rapini and cook until the rapini turns bright green and partially cooks, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a spider to transfer the rapini to a bowl of ice water to rapidly cool, reserving the boiling water. Drain the rapini, then cut into 2-inch pieces and set aside.
• Place a large skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add both sausages and cook, breaking up into smaller pieces, until golden brown and crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes if using and cook for an additional minute.
• Meanwhile, add the Ricotta Cavatelli to the boiling water and cook until the cavatelli are al dente and begin to float to the top, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the cooked pasta and rapini to the skillet, along with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Season with cracked black pepper. Toss to coat the pasta, then remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the pecorino and serve immediately, with more cheese grated over the top and a drizzle of olive oil.
• Combine the ricotta, eggs and salt in a large bowl, then stir into the flour. Gently combine with your hands to bring together into a dough. Knead the dough together, adding additional flour until the dough is firm and not sticky. Tightly wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Cut the dough into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time, roll the dough on a lightly-floured surface into a 1/4-inch-thick rope. With a knife, cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Use a bench scraper or your index and third fingers held together to gently press down on each piece, beginning at the top and moving down toward the bottom, dragging the bench scraper toward you and causing the pasta to roll over on itself. Transfer the formed pasta to a lightly-floured baking sheet and let dry at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. (At this point, the pasta can be frozen in a single layer and stored in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer.)

CAVATELLI WITH CHORIZO AND RAPINI

Steps:

• Cavatelli with Chorizo and Rapini Method: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the onion and sauté until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Next add the garlic, sauté until softened, about another 1 minute. Pour in vermouth to deglaze the skillet. Add chicken stock and let the mixture reduce by half. Add cream and bring back to a simmer. Add in the grape tomatoes, cook for 1 minute, just to soften. Remove from heat. While the sauce is cooking, place a pasta insert - if available into pot. Blanch the rapini for 2 minutes , just to soften. Pull out insert , draining rapini and reserving the boiling water in pot. Add the blanched rapini to sauce and set aside. Add the cavatelli to pot once water comes back to boil over high heat and cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until al dente. Drain pasta and transfer back into large pot. Pour over the prepared sauce, add Parmesan and cook for a further minute over medium heat , just until the pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Garnish with parsley. Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

RICOTTA CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Combine the ricotta, eggs and salt in a large bowl, then stir into the flour. Gently combine with your hands to bring together into a dough. Knead the dough together, adding additional flour until the dough is firm and not sticky. Tightly wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Cut the dough into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time, roll the dough on a lightly-floured surface into a 1/4-inch-thick rope. With a knife, cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Use a bench scraper or your index and third fingers held together to gently press down on each piece, beginning at the top and moving down toward the bottom, dragging the bench scraper toward you and causing the pasta to roll over on itself. Transfer the formed pasta to a lightly-floured baking sheet and let dry at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. (At this point, the pasta can be frozen in a single layer and stored in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer.)
• Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until the cavatelli are al dente and begin to float to the top, 3 to 5 minutes.

CAVATELLI WITH GARLIC, CRAB, CHILE AND TREBBIANO

Steps:

• Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil.
• Add about 2 TB salt.
• In a 12 to 14 inch saute pan, heat the olive oil.
• Add the garlic.
• Saute over medium heat until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the chile, wine and butter.
• Bring to a boil.
• Stir in the crab meat and immediately remove from the heat.
• Cook the pasta until tender, yet al dente, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Drain well and add to the crab mixture.
• Return to the heat and cook briefly until most of the liquid is absorbed.
• Pour into a warm serving bowl and enjoy.

CAVATELLI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• In a kettle of boiling salted water cook pasta until al dente.
• While pasta is cooking, squeeze sausage from its casings into a large heavy skillet and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring to break up chunks, until no longer pink. With slotted spoon transfer sausage to a bowl, reserving drippings in skillet.
• Cut broccoli rabe into 1-inch pieces and sauté in reserved drippings, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown. Add garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Add broth and raisins and simmer until broccoli rabe is just tender, about 3 minutes. Add butter, stirring until incorporated.
• Drain pasta and return to kettle. Add broccoli rabe mixture and sausage and heat through if necessary.
• Serve pasta with Parmesan.

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 SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Place sausage in a large skillet over medium heat and, using a wooden spoon, cook until brown and crumbly.
• Meanwhile, bring at least 4 quarts of lightly salted water to boil and add broccoli rabe and cavatelli. Cook until pasta is done, approximately 11 minutes. Before draining, reserve approximately 2 cups of pasta cooking water.
• When sausage is done, remove from skillet with a slotted spoon. Add extra virgin olive oil to skillet drippings and cook over medium heat until warm. Add sliced garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook until lightly golden (about 1 minute). Add about 1 cup of pasta cooking water to skillet and cook for 1 minute more. Then add drained pasta and broccoli rabe to skillet. Stir to combine and add reserved sausage. Add salt, pepper, and cheese to taste. Stir to combine again. Simmer for 2 minutes or so. If too thick, add more of the reserved pasta cooking water until desired consistency.
• Add more cheese before serving and enjoy!