Cavatelli With Garlicky Greens And Potatoes Recipes

CAVATELLI PASTA RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the semolina flour on a work surface, make a well in the middle and sprinkle with salt.
• Add most of water into the well in the centre of the flour.
• Start combining water with the flour using your fingers or a fork. Pulling in the flour and forming a dough. Add more water if needed. The dough should feel soft and supple, a bit like playdough.
• Knead well for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic then form into a ball.
• Wrap with plastic and set aside for 30 minutes to rest.
• After 30 minutes, cut off ¼ of the dough. Rewrap the remaining dough.
• Roll the cut off portion of dough into a sausage shape. You shouldn't need any extra semolina/flour but if you do, use it sparingly.
• Continue rolling until you have a long rope about ½ inch ( or approx 1cm) in diameter. It may be easier to cut it in half and keep rolling to achieve this thickness.
• Cut the rope into ¾-1 inch (2-2.5cm) lengths.
• Using two fingers (the index and the middle finger), press firmly onto each piece of dough and drag towards you creating a curl and an indentation.
• Place in a single layer and not touching on parchment (baking) paper that has been dusted with semolina/flour.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes. This will depend on the size of the cavatelli. Taste after 5 minutes and cook longer if needed. Cooking may be even longer than 10 minutes if you have made larger cavatelli.
• Serve with your favorite sauce.

POTATO CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Boil potatoes unpeeled and send through a ricer to make 2 cups. Alternately, peel and boil, then mash. Mix in butter and milk. Let cool.
• In a sturdy bowl, using a stand mixer with a dough hook, or a wooden spoon or your hands, mix potatoes, oil, salt and eggs until smooth. Work in 2 cups flour, gradually adding more until dough is stiff and not sticky. (The amount of flour needed can vary greatly.)
• Pinch off a ball of dough, roll into a rope about an inch in diameter and cut into 3/4-inch dumplings. On a floured surface, press your thumb against the cut side of each dumpling and press down and away, so the dough flattens and flips up over your thumb. The result should look like a miniature hot dog bun.
• In boiling salted water, cook cavatelli, stirring once or twice as soon as you put them in, for about 5 minutes or until they rise to the top. Alternately, put them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then store in the freezer in a plastic bag. Dumplings will take about 10 to 12 minutes to cook. Top with tomato sauce, pesto or butter and Parmesan.

CAVATELLI WITH GARLICKY GREENS AND POTATOES

Steps:

• 1 Fill a sink or large bowl with cool water. Add the greens and swirl them in the water. Transfer the greens to a colander, change the water, then repeat at least two more times to eliminate all traces of sand. 2 Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the greens and salt to taste. Cook until the greens are tender, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the varieties you use. Drain the greens and let them cool slightly under cold running water. Chop the greens into bite-size pieces. 3 Pour the oil into a skillet large enough to hold the cooked pasta. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook over medium heat until the garlic is golden, 2 minutes. Add the greens and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are coated with oil, about 5 minutes. 4 Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the pasta. Cook, stirring frequently, until the water returns to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until the pasta is al dente, tender yet firm to the bite. Set aside some of the cooking water. Drain the pasta. 5 Add the pasta and potatoes to the greens and toss well. Add a little of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.