Region: Italy
Category: Pasta with Lamb
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy but labor intensive
This incredibly delicious dish is a bit tricky to make because you can't salt to taste, you must use an exact amount of salt and you just might use too much.  (2)LO.jpg)
So follow the recipe and then add the salt afterwards if necessary. Cavatelli is kind of pasta popular in Sicily and southern Italy. It is a 1/2 inch diameter disk of pasta dough that is pressed down with one's thumb or a knife to become a pasta called orecchiette which is then rolled away from you so it folds upon itself to become cavatelli.
[photo: Clifford A. Wright]
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound boneless lamb leg or sirloin, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 pound broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
1 pound cavatelli
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
2 pinches of saffron
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
1. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat, then cook the lamb until brown and crispy, tossing or stirring frequently, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet and transfer to a saucepan.
2. In a mortar, pound the garlic, salt, and saffron with a pestle until mushy. Transfer to the saucepan with the lamb.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, salt abundantly, then cook the pasta until 3/4s cooked. Add the broccoli and cook another 5 minutes until the cavatelli is al dente and the broccoli is tender. Drain and transfer to the saucepan with the lamb.
4. Heat the sauce over medium heat and when it starts to bubble, toss several times to mix everything and turn the heat off and serve with the pecorino cheese.
Variation:
Note:
Posted: 12/20/2006