Orecchiette Food

ORECCHIETTE WITH SPICY SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the spring onions and cook until softened, about 3 more minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms start to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they soften slightly, about 3 more minutes.
• Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the broth to the skillet and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in the pasta and cheese, adding some of the reserved cooking water to loosen, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, drizzle with olive oil and top with more cheese and spring onions.

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.

SAUSAGE ORECCHIETTE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook pasta as package directs.
• Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water.
• Meanwhile, cook sausage in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until no longer pink.
• If necessary, break large pieces apart with a wooden spoon.
• Add mushrooms and cook an additional 5 minutes.
• Pour in wine, reserved pasta water and black pepper.
• Stir in basil.
• Remove from heat; toss with pasta and cheese.
• Note: For perfect pasta every time, for 1 pound of dried pasta, bring at least 6 quarts of salted water to a boil.
• Add all of the pasta.
• With wooden spoon, stir once or twice to prevent sticking.
• Check at suggested time; if cooked properly, there will be no white inside.

ONE PAN ORECCHIETTE PASTA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion with a pinch of salt in hot oil until onion is soft and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir sausage into onions; cook and stir until sausage is broken up and browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Pour 1 1/2 cups chicken broth into sausage mixture and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add orecchiette pasta; cook and stir pasta in hot broth, adding remaining broth when liquid is absorbed, until pasta is cooked through and most of the broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Stir arugula into pasta-sausage mixture until arugula wilts. Ladle pasta into bowls and dust with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

ORECCHIETTE PASTA WITH BROCCOLI SAUCE

Steps:

• Steam small broccoli florets until very tender (easily pierced with a fork)and set aside.
• Cook the pasta in 8 cups water with 1 tablespoon salt (measure), Save a cup of hot pasta water when you drain.
• In a large pan, saute the shallot and garlic and chili flakes in the olive oil, over medium heat until fragrant and golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the miso paste (or anchovy), then add steamed broccoli, salt, pepper and the broth.
• Bring to a gentle simmer and start breaking apart the broccoli with a metal spatula into tiny pieces. As it cooks it will get easier to break apart. You want the broccoli to basically melt down into a "sauce". Continue simmering gently on low heat until half of the liquid evaporates and it becomes the consistency of a thick sauce, about 10-15 minutes.
• If it seems watery and separated, just keep cooking it down. It won't be smooth- but just broken down and very very tender.
• Add the pasta. Toss well. Add more hot pasta water to keep it " saucy." Add the lemon zest.
• Taste for salt, adjust, adding more along with pepper, chili flakes. If you want more richness add another splash of olive oil (or pat of butter- my husband loves this). Stir in some optional pecorino.
• Divide among pasta bowls and top with any of the garnishes you like. Grated Parmesan or pecorino adds depth,basil ribbons add flavor, and a drizzle of truffle oil elevates.
• Enjoy!

ORECCHIETTE

Steps:

• 1. Boil a large pot of salted water.
• 2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the flours and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs.
• 3. Whisk them, gradually pulling in flour from the rim, until the mixture comes together into a firm ball of dough.
• 4. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and work it until smooth.
• 5. With a well-floured hand, pinch off small fingerfuls of dough, roll them between your thumb and forefinger into balls, and press each in the middle to form an indentation. (Toddler fingers are especially well-suited to this task.)
• 6. Cook the orecchiette in the boiling water for 1 minute past the point when they rise to the top. Drain and serve.

ORECCHIETTE WITH BUTTER BEANS, PARSLEY, CHILLI & LEMON

Steps:

• Cook the orecchiette following pack instructions until al dente, about 10 mins. Drain, reserving the cooking water.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the chillies and garlic for 2 mins until just softened. Mix in the butter beans, tomatoes, lemon zest and juice. Cook for 5 mins more, then scatter in the parsley and cook for another 2 mins. The tomatoes should have reduced slightly and the beans should be warmed through.
• Tip the orecchiette into the frying pan with the butter bean mixture. Pour in a little of the reserved pasta cooking water if you prefer a looser sauce. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle with the cheese before serving, if you like.