Cavatelli with Brodo and Vegetables
Source: Christophe Hille, A16 Restaurant.
Recipe Type: Entrees | Seasons: Spring
Serves 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS
1 cup or 250 ml water
1.6 lbs or 750 grams flour
1 big pinch salt
as available rinds from hard cheeses
as available prosciutto scraps (optional)
1 whole chicken (optional)
1 each bay leaves
1 each onion
1 medium onion, diced
2 each carrots
2 stalks celery
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 bunch basil, chopped
1 cup fresh favas, blanched and peeled
Olive oil, as needed
Parmesan, to taste
PREPARATION
- Combine the flour, water and salt, and mix by hand or with a Kitchen-Aid mixer until a smooth, firm dough is formed.
- Cut the dough into a few pieces, wrap with plastic and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
- Roll the dough into pencil-thick logs, cut into 1 inch segments, and form cavatelli as demonstrated (with fingers).
- Put the formed cavatelli onto a flour-dusted cookie sheet and freeze.
- Once frozen solid, the cavatelli can be packed loose into an airtight container and frozen for several months.
- To make the brodo, place all ingredients into a stock pot, and cover with cold water.
- Bring the brodo to a boil, skim off any fat and foam that collects at the surface and simmer for 1 hour.
- Strain the brodo, reserving the chicken if used, and skim off any further fat that rises.
- To make the sauce, in a separate saucepan sweat the onions, carrots and celery in abundant olive oil until tender, seasoned to taste with salt.
- Add the parsley and basil, cook until they are just wilted, then immediately cool the contents of the saucepan down by spreading on a cookie sheet.
- Boil a pot of water for the pasta, well salted.
- Place one handful of frozen cavatelli per portion into the boiling water, and boil for 3 minutes.
- For each portion, place in a separate saucepan a heaping spoonful of the sauce, a spoonful of favas, and a couple ounces of brodo.
- While the pasta is boiling, bring the ingredients in the saucepan to a boil.
- Strain the pasta, add to the saucepan and boil for a couple of minutes.
- Pour pasta into bowls or a serving dish, drizzle generously with olive oil and top with grated parmesan.
