Mint Cavatelli Recipes

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.

SPICY DUCK MEATBALLS WITH MINT CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and 3 cloves garlic. Cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes; remove from heat and let cool.
• Add onion and garlic mixture to a large bowl, along with, ground duck, basil, chile sauce, panko, and eggs. Knead mixture until well combined; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to refrigerator and let chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Remove duck mixture from refrigerator and form into 1 1/2- to 2-inch balls. Transfer to a baking sheet. Transfer baking sheet to oven and cook for 10 minutes.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining 2 cloves garlic, 1 shallot, and plum tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add chicken stock and thyme; let simmer for 20 minutes.
• Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer set over another large saucepan, discarding solids. Transfer meatballs to liquid and place over medium heat. Let meatballs simmer until cooked through, about 30 minutes.
• Heat remaining teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 2 shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add water spinach, meatballs and their cooking liquid, cavatelli, butter, mint, and chives; let cook for 2 minutes.
• Divide mixture evenly between 4 bowls. Sprinkle over freshly grated parmesan cheese and crack a quail egg into each bowl; serve immediately.

MINT CAVATELLI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together ricotta and eggs; season with salt and pepper. Gradually sift in 3/4 cup flour. Add mint and knead mixture until a dough forms. Turn dough out onto work surface and knead a few more times until smooth; form dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle work surface with remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead flour into dough. Roll out dough until it is 1/4 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 1-inch-wide strips. Run dough through a cavatelli maker or cut each strip into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt boiling water and return to a boil. Add cavatelli to boiling water and cook until tender and floats to the surface, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain and transfer cavatelli to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and let cool.

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.

CAVATELLI WITH ASPARAGUS, LEMON AND FRESH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Place the woody stems from the asparagus in a food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer the pureed asparagus to a fine-mesh strainer set over a small bowl. Let the juices drain, 5 to 10 minutes, pressing down lightly on the puree with a wooden spoon occasionally. Reserve the juice and discard the pulp.
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the ricotta, Parmesan and 1 tablespoon lemon juice with some salt and pepper. Add the lemon zest and set aside.
• Once the water has boiled, add the cavatelli and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
• Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic, then add the sliced asparagus and saute until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the cavatelli directly into the skillet with the asparagus. Add about half of the asparagus juice and allow to simmer for 1 minute. Add the remaining asparagus juice and the remaining tablespoon lemon juice and cook until the pasta is glossy, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with Pecorino-Romano, lemon zest, dollops of the whipped ricotta, basil and black pepper.

CAVATELLI WITH SARDINIAN MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large deep frying pan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat.
• Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a fork, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to moderately low and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Stir in the onion and garlic.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, mint, parsley, water, salt, and 1 pinch of the saffron. Simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the cavatelli with the remaining pinch saffron until just done, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the cavatelli and toss with the meat sauce, the basil, the reserved pasta water, and the cheese.
• Serve with additional Pecorino Romano.

ENGLISH PEA CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Simmer shelled peas and mint in coconut milk until tender (30-45 minutes).
• Purée peas and mint mixture in a blender until smooth. Season and set aside. If needed, add a little water to make smooth.
• In a sauté pan, crisp the pancetta on a low flame until fat is rendered and pancetta is crispy.
• While cooking the pancetta, boil the pasta to perfect al dente.
• Strain pasta and toss with the crispy pancetta on a low flame.
• Add the pea purée, cauliflower and two tablespoons of water and cook for 3-5 minutes stirring constantly (cook until purée evenly coats the pasta like a sauce).
• Turn off the heat and toss with freshly grated pecorino.
• Garnish with watercress and serve.