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 cup 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 to the olive oil 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. Sitr to combine, adding
small amounts of pasta water if necessary. Serve.
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