Best Cavatelli With Garlicky Greens And Potatoes Recipes

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 GLAZED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Combine the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center. Add 1 cup ricotta and the egg to the well; gradually mix into the flour with a fork to form a shaggy dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a smooth ball. Wrap in a kitchen towel and set aside for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blanch the vegetables: Prepare a bowl of salted ice water. Bring a medium saucepan of generously salted water to a boil. Add the scallions; boil until bright green, about 30 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the ice water. Boil the radishes, then the asparagus, cooking each until bright but still firm, 2 to 3 minutes, then plunging into the ice water. Drain the vegetables and set aside.
• On a clean, dry surface, form the cavatelli (see instructions below).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cavatelli; cook until they float and are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl (reserve the pasta water) and toss with 2 tablespoons butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm.
• Melt another 2 tablespoons butter with 3 to 4 tablespoons pasta water in a skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetables; toss until warm and glazed. Season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and more pasta water to make a light sauce. Toss with the cavatelli; serve topped with dollops of the remaining 1/2 cup ricotta.
• Cavatelli:
• 1. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Work with one piece of dough at a time; cover the rest with a towel.
• 2. Roll the dough into a long 1/2 inch-thick rope, working from the center to the edges to maintain an even thickness as you go.
• 3. Cut the rope into 1/4-inch-wide pieces (we used a pastry scraper), pressing down and pushing away with each cut so the piece curls slightly.
• Photography by Con Poulos

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.