Orecchiette With Cabbage And Gorgonzola Recipes

ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI RABE AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, and cook, turning occasionally until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove sausage to a plate and reserve pan and sausage drippings.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of cold water to a boil over high heat. Add a large pinch of salt and broccoli rabe and cook, uncovered, until broccoli rabe is bright green and tender but still slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer broccoli rabe using tongs to a colander (reserve boiling water) and rinse under cold running water. Chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
• Add pasta to reserved boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente (tender but not mushy), about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat reserved pan and drippings over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until it is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli rabe, pepper flakes, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt; increase heat to medium-high, and cook, continually stirring, until broccoli rabe is hot and tender, about 5 minutes. Slice sausage into 1/4-inch thick coins and add to pan and mix well cook until sausage is warmed through, about 5 more minutes.
• Drain pasta in a colander in sink, reserving 1/4 cup of cooking liquid. Toss pasta and liquid with broccoli rabe mixture. Transfer pasta to a serving dish or individual bowls, garnish with Parmesean and serve.

ORECCHIETTE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE, BROCCOLI RABE AND GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette and cook according to the package directions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble the sausage into the skillet, add the crushed red pepper and cook, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes.
• Pierce the garlic on a fork. Add the orange juice, beans, sun-dried tomatoes and broccoli rabe to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly with the fork, until the sauce is heated through, about 4 minutes. Discard the garlic. Add the orecchiette, Gorgonzola, pine nuts, orange zest and Parmesan. Lightly toss and serve.

HOMEMADE ORECCHIETTE 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.
• Work with one portion of 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. Pick up knife with a rounded tip. Carefully hold one side of the dough with your index finger. Hold the knife in your other hand. Gently drag the small piece of dough towards you. Lift up the knife by the end in such a way that you get a thicker edge. You'll obtain a small disk of dough, thinner in the centre. Press the disk gently against your thumb and it will curve.
• Proceed the same way with the rest of the dough. Transfer orecchiette onto a floured surface and sprinkle with more semolina flour. Do not overlap orecchiette or they will stick together. Let dry for about 30 minutes before cooking.

ORECCHIETTE WITH PANCETTA, PUMPKIN AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the pumpkin with olive oil and salt and place in a single layer on a sheet tray. Bake in the oven until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Set up a bowl of well-salted ice water. Drop the broccoli rabe into the pot of boiling water, swirl it around, remove it from the water and immediately plunge into the salty ice water. Reserve the boiling water. Remove the broccoli rabe from the ice water, squeeze out the excess water and reserve.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and add the pancetta and red pepper flakes. Bring the pan to medium heat and cook the pancetta until brown and crispy. Add the roasted pumpkin and about 3/4 cup of the broccoli rabe cooking water. Simmer until the water reduces by half, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the orecchiette to the reserved boiling broccoli rabe water and cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than the cooking time says on the box. Remove the pasta from the water and add to the pan with the pancetta and pumpkin. Add the broccoli rabe and about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Cook until the water has evaporated and the sauce clings to the pasta, about 1 minute. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the grated parmigiana. Toss vigorously.
• Divide the pasta among dishes, sprinkle with a little more grated parm and top with the roasted green pumpkin seeds.

STEP-BY-STEP ORECCHIETTE

Steps:

• Mound semolina and all-purpose flours and salt in 3 separate piles on a large, clean work surface.
• Using your fingers, swirl ingredients together until combined.
• Gather flour mixture into a pile, and create a well in center. Pour 1/2 cup water into well.
• Gradually incorporate flour mixture into water using your fingers.
• Once all the water is absorbed, continue adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture begins to form a dough.
• Start to gather and knead dough, working it until no dry flour remains on work surface.
• Continue to knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Divide dough into 16 equal portions, and cover them with a clean, damp kitchen towel.
• Roll 1 portion of dough into an 18-inch-long rope.
• Use a knife to cut and drag a 1/3-inch piece of dough from end of rope facing you -- a grainy wooden cutting board helps grip the dough.
• Holding knife at a 45-degree angle to work surface, press and roll dough toward you.
• Unfurl each piece of dough over your thumb in the opposite direction to form a concave shape, and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lightly sprinkled with semolina flour. Repeat with remaining dough. Orecchiette can be stored at room temperature in a single layer overnight; cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.

ORECCHIETTE WITH MUSHROOMS, RADICCHIO, AND GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain, and then drizzle with just enough oil to coat. Spread on a baking sheet, and refrigerate 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and red-pepper flakes, and cook until shallot has softened, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add wine, and cook until reduced by three-quarters, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Add herbs, lemon zest and juice, and radicchio, and toss until radicchio has wilted. Add pasta, Gorgonzola, salt, and pepper; toss. Serve at room temperature.

ORECCHIETTE WITH CABBAGE AND GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Heat oil and butter or margarine in large saute pan.
• Add the scallions and cook until they begin to wilt, about 5 minutes.
• Add thyme and cabbage and cook for 20 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, and adding a tablespoon or two of water if it dries out too much.
• Pour in wine and cook until it evaporates.
• Cook orecchiette according to package directions, using the chicken or vegetable broth.
• Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta liquid.
• Toss pasta with cabbage mixture.
• Add gorgonzola and fold until it melts and add some of the liquid, if sauce needs thinning.
• Transfer to serving platter and garnish with parsley and sprinkle with Grana Padano or Parmigiana Reggiano and season with red pepper flakes.