Cavatelli With Chicken And Tomato Food

CAVATELLI WITH GORGONZOLA AND CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cavatelli and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of pasta water, then drain well.
• Meanwhile, add the pancetta and olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the pancetta is crispy, about 8 minutes. Add the shallots and cook another minute until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and season with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the cavatelli to the skillet along with 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Scatter the Gorgonzola over the pasta and stir to combine. Continue to stir, adding pasta water as needed, until a light creamy sauce is formed. Add the spinach and toss to combine. Cook for another minute, until the spinach is just barely wilted. Serve hot.

HOMEMADE CAVATELLI WITH "LEFTOVER SAUCE"

Steps:

• For the cavatelli: Add the flour to a large bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, eggs and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir the ricotta mixture into the flour.
• Transfer the mixture to a floured work surface and, using your hands, gently bring the ingredients together to form a dough. Knead the dough together, adding additional flour as necessary, until the dough is firm and not sticky. Tightly wrap the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• On a lightly floured surface, cut the dough into 6 pieces, then roll the pieces into ropes about 1/4 inch in diameter. Cut the ropes into 1/2-inch pieces. Using your thumb or the dull side of a butter knife, press on each piece of dough and pull across the length of it. Continue until all the pasta dough is used. Transfer the pieces to a baking sheet dusted with semolina.
• For the sauce: Warm the tomato sauce with the pulled chicken in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt liberally. Drop in the cavatelli, give them a gentle stir and boil until they begin to float, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Transfer the cavatelli to the sauce along with 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Stir until the pasta is thoroughly combined with the sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan, butter and basil, Serve with olive oil and cracked black pepper.

CHICKEN AND CAVATELLI

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring the broth, bay leaf, onion, celery and carrots to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the sage, salt, pepper and chicken breasts and simmer, partially covered, until just done, about 25 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts a few times during cooking.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the cavatelli until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• In a small bowl, stir the butter and flour together to form a paste. Remove the bay leaf from the pot, push the chicken to the side and then whisk the butter mixture into the liquid. Simmer until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked cavatelli and simmer until just heated through.
• Notes: Frozen Pasta: Several brands of frozen cavatelli, flat egg noodles, and gnocchi are available in supermarkets. Unlike dried pasta, these products have an appealing doughy chew that we find just right with this type of saucy stew. Cook the frozen pasta separately according to package directions, drain, and then stir into the pot with the chicken.
• Wine Recommendation: Because this dish has no bold or assertive flavors to compete with the wine, options are unlimited: red or white, full-flavored or light-bodied. Three good choices would be a merlot or a chardonnay from California or a Meursault (also made from chardonnay) from France.

CAVATELLI WITH CHICKEN AND TOMATO

Steps:

• In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Working in batches, add the chicken to the pan and cook, turning once, until brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total per batch. Transfer to a platter.
• In the same pan, warm 1 Tbs. of the oil. Add the chicken livers and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Return the pan to medium heat and warm the remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Add the onion, carrot, celery and bay leaves and sauté until the vegetables are softened and slightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they have released some of their liquid, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. Add the chicken along with the livers and any accumulated juices. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is opaque throughout, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 Tbs. salt and the pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and divide among individual bowls. Top with the sauce and chicken pieces and serve immediately.

CAVATELLI WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cavatelli and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is soft but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the basil and tomatoes with their juice. Increase the heat to high and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Add the cavatelli and the reserved cooking water to the skillet; cook, tossing, until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide among bowls and top with the ricotta and pecorino. Season with salt and pepper.

CAVATELLI WITH SAUTEED BROCCOLI AND GARLIC

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderate heat until hot. Add the garlic and cook it, stirring, until pale golden. Add the broccoli, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the saucepan. Toss with sauce to combine. Serve with the cheese.

CAVATELLI WITH TOMATO CAPER AND OLIVE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook pasta. Drain.
• Meanwhile heat oil in saucepan. Add tomatoes, parsley, olives, caper and fennel seeds. Cook until tomatoes soften, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in lemon zest. Toss with pasta.

PASTA WITH CHICKEN, BROCCOLI, AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil, covered, in stockpot.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add chicken in single layer; cook for 1 minute without stirring, then stir chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of pink color has disappeared and chicken is lightly browned around the edges, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to clean bowl; set aside.
• Return skillet to high heat and add 1 tablespoon butter; add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned about edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, and flour; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and chicken broth; bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened slightly and reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes.
• While sauce simmers, add 1 tablespoon salt and broccoli to boiling water; cook until broccoli is tender but still crisp at center, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to large paper towel-lined plate. Return water to boil; stir in pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water; return pasta to pot.
• Stir remaining 2 tablespoons butter, Asiago, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, and chicken into sauce in skillet; cook until chicken is hot and cooked through, about 1 minute. Off heat, season to taste with pepper. Pour chicken/sauce mixture over pasta and add broccoli; toss gently to combine, adding pasta cooking water as needed to adjust sauce consistency. Serve immediately, passing additional Asiago and the lemon wedges (if using) separately.