Cavatelli With Sausage And Chanterelle Mushrooms Recipes

BAKED CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
• In a large skillet cook the sausage, onion, and garlic until sausage is brown; remove from skillet. Drain.
• In a large bowl stir together pasta sauce, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and the pepper. Add the cooked pasta and the drained sausage mixture. Stir gently to combine. Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart casserole.*.
• Bake, covered, in a 375°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until nearly heated through. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.
• My card says it feeds 5 to 6, and I say a family of four -- and a sad ol'doggie -- for licking the casserole dish clean -- .

CAVATELLI WITH MUSHROOM BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook until foaming. Add the onions, season with a little salt and saute about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Next, add the mushrooms and some salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms have released all their liquid, about 5 minutes more. Add the peas and cook until heated through, another 2 minutes. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the cavatelli pasta to al dente, 4 to 5 minutes for fresh, or according to the package instructions. Set a strainer over a large heatproof measuring cup in the sink and carefully drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of pasta water.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. When melted, add the Pecorino Romano and 1 cup pasta water, whisking vigorously. Whisk in the cream. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Season with salt and add additional pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Stir in the mushroom mixture.
• Serve immediately, garnishing with additional freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated cheese.
• Combine the 00 and semolina flours with the salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse a couple times. Add the olive oil and 1 cup room-temperature water to the flour mixture and pulse a few more times. Mix until a shaggy mass forms, then turn out onto a clean surface. Knead vigorously until the dough is smooth, elastic and bounces back when pressed, about 10 minutes.
• Cut the dough in half and work with one piece at a time (cover the other piece with a clean, damp kitchen towel). Using a bench scraper or knife, cut a walnut-sized piece of dough and roll it into a thin rope about 1/3 inch in diameter. Using the 4 fingers of your hand (no thumb), roll the rope of dough back and forth until it is a long, slender, tube-like shape (but not enclosed like a tube). Halve the pieces of pasta. Set aside on a clean towel sprinkled with semolina flour. Repeat with the remaining dough. Rest the pasta for 30 minutes.
• To cook, generously salt a large pot of boiling water. Add the cavatelli and cook until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and use with your sauce recipe of choice.

CAVATELLI WITH SAUSAGE AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and add the onion. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the onion is softened, about 8 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring, until the sausage and onion are lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
• Push the mixture to the sides of the skillet and add the tomato paste in the middle. Cook the tomato paste, stirring, until darkened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rosemary, then stir the tomato paste into the sausage and onion. Stir in the wine and bring to a simmer. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the boiling water and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
• While the sauce cooks, add the cavatelli and peas to the remaining boiling water and cook as the cavatelli label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
• Add the cavatelli, peas and parsley to the sauce and bring to a simmer. Toss to coat, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the cheese and toss. Divide among bowls and top with more cheese.

SAUSAGE CAVATELLI

Steps:

• To cook sausage, squeeze from casings and saute in a heavy skillet or cast iron frying pan.
• Stir until no longer pink and sausage has broken down into small chunks.
• Remove with slotted spoon leaving juices in pan.
• Cut broccoli into 1 inch pieces and saute in juices or drippings.
• Stir gently til it begins to brown.
• Add garlic and saute 1 minute more.
• Add broth and raisins and simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 3 minutes.
• Do not over cook.
• Finally, add butter and stir to melt.
• Add, with sausage, to cooked cavatelli pasta and serve with parmesan cheese.