Fresh Pasta – Light and Delicious Cavatelli with Italian Association of Arizona

Ricotta Cavatelli with Broccoli Rabe, Tomatoes & Italian Sausage 

Ingredients                Yield: 2-4 servings

4-5 oz. blanched broccolini spears

16 each ripe tear drop tomatoes, cut in half

1 quality olive oil

4 Italian sausage, hot or mild your choice

2 finely minced shallots

4-5 garlic clove, shaved thin like in Goodfella’s

2-ounce white wine (something you enjoy drinking)

10 ounces PASTA REA Cavatelli

5 oz. Whole butter

3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

TT sea salt

TT freshly ground black pepper

3- 4 ounces grated fresh grated Romano cheese

Follow These Simple Steps…. 

1. Clean broccolini of any excess leaves and cut in spears about 3” long.
2. Bring 2 quarts salted water to a roaring boil and blanch broccolini in boiling water until al dente. Drain and immediately submerge in cold ice bath to chill then drain well.
3. Rinse out pot and bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil and hold
4. Remove sausage from casing. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet, lightly brown sausage, and crumble with fork as it browns
5. Add garlic and shallots to the sausage and saute until translucent. Then add tomatoes and saute to blister followed by broccolini.  Toss to warm.
6. Deglaze with wine and reduce by ½ to remove alcohol, hold on a very low simmer.
7. Drop pasta in water and cook to desired consistency. Your Cavatelli should float when it is nearly done.
8. Drain the Cavatelli well, reserving some pasta water.
9. Combine your pasta to the simmering sauce pan and toss it altogether.
10. Throw in whole butter and toss again until the butter is melted. You can add small amounts of pasta water if needed.
11. Add parsley and season to taste with salt, pepper and ½ the Romano cheese.
12. Toss on medium heat to make sure all is hot.
13. Plate and garnish with remaining cheese.

To Enjoy a Cooking Demo with Chef Rea and our Visitor Frank Guzzo with the Italian Association of Arizona Click the Photo Above, Mangia Bene!