Orecchiette is
from the Italian word for ear, "orecchio" which these little pastas
resemble. This dish is extremely flavorful and easy to prepare. The only
draw back is it looses a lot of freshness when reheated as a left-over.
As delicious as this is, there may not be anything left over in the
first place!
Preparation Time: 40 minutes Serving Size: 4
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 to 1 pound ground veal
- kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
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- 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons capers (do not rinse)
- 3/4 pound orecchiette
- 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian parley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
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Heat olive oil in a large deep-sided skillet
over medium-high heat. Have a large pot of water heating for the pasta. Add
the finely chopped onion and sauté until beginning to soften, about 3
minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 2 minutes more, until just beginning to
brown. Add the ground veal and season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn
the up heat slightly to almost high and cook, stirring often, until veal in
no longer pink, any liquid has evaporated and fond has formed on the bottom
of the pan. Add the wine to the pan and scrape up the fond. Boil until
nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes total. Add the chicken stock, thyme,
rosemary, crushed red pepper and capers. Lower heat back to medium-high and
cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 8-10 minutes. While this
reduces, cook the orecchiette in well-salted water until al dente. Use a
spider, or slotted spoon to strain the pasta into the skillet, retaining the
pasta water. Add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley and butter. Stir to
combine, adding small amounts of pasta water if necessary. Serve. |
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