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Sweet Potato-Ricotta Cavatelli with White Wine Braised Chicken Sauce

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Did someone say, Sweet Potato-Ricotta Cavatelli?

White Wine Demi-Glace Rabbit with Sweet Potato Cavatelli

White Wine Demi-Glace Rabbit with Sweet Potato Cavatelli

Yes, yes, that someone is ME! Something in my being simply calls me to make pasta and to make it often, in fact, to make it as often as possible.

A BIG obsession for me is ricotta cavatelli, its texture and shape just work with my taste buds….now go and mix it up with some seasonal yummies and it easily becomes the perfect food in my world, easily.

Ricotta Cavatelli was a staple when I was growing up. My Nonna would make it at least every Sunday and sometimes during the week if any of us did something extraordinary or just asked (isn’t that how it works with grandbabies?). I’m thinking the latter happened much more often than the former….

Now back to the cavatelli story. For her, she kept the sauces simple, Bolognese or butter, it just didn’t get much fancier than that and it didn’t need to. Honestly, any pasta she made was sensational and frankly, I ate more of it raw than anything (which completely made her crazy but secretly, she really loved it).

Nonna always started with making the ricotta, I am sure it had a lot to do with hovering grandkids waiting impatiently to be fed and acting completely starved to death…..Solution? Easy, triple the batch, make crostini, and let us go to town (and out from under her feet, literally) so she could crank out her cavatelli treasures.

I loved that the air was always filled with fresh cheese and the aroma of her infamous Bolognese sauce, which conveniently simmered all day and comatosed us while we waited for the feast of deliciousness!

Finally, I was old enough to make pasta in my own house and when I first branched out from the traditional and into the “variations”, I was sure I would need a pasta confessional and ask my Nonna for continuous forgiveness but, when I was able to create one I knew she would approve of, I felt redeemed!

I never got the opportunity to make her my sweet potato – ricotta cavatelli but the memory of those days comes to me every time I venture out and make them or any variation……and I never forget to start with the ricotta and crostini…….here’s to you Nonna….

Sweet-Potato-Cavatelli

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 Sweet Potato-Ricotta Cavatelli with White Wine Braised Chicken Sauce
This recipe was inspired by my love for ricotta cavatelli. Cavatelli are similar to gnocchi but a bit smaller in size. This recipe birthed from my love of sweet potatoes and ricotta cheese!
White Wine Demi-Glace Rabbit with Sweet Potato Cavatelli
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Passive Time 10 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cavatelli
Fresh Ricotta
White Wine Braised Chicken Sauce
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Passive Time 10 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cavatelli
Fresh Ricotta
White Wine Braised Chicken Sauce
White Wine Demi-Glace Rabbit with Sweet Potato Cavatelli
Instructions
Sweet Potato Cavatelli
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Pearce sweet potatoes all over and place on a baking sheet. Cook for 30-40 min or until soft. Pull out of oven and peel and pass through a food mill or ricer into a bowl. Cool completely.
  2. Combine cooled sweet potatoes, ricotta, egg, and salt
  3. Place flour on kneading board. Make a well and add the above ingredients. Mix to combine
  4. Keep kneading until the dough comes together and has a smooth consistency. If sticky, add some flour. Don't over knead dough or it will become too tough.
  5. Cut off a small chunk and roll it into a rope about ½″ thick.
  6. Roll rope in some flour before cutting in 1 inch pieces. With a gnocchi board, start at the top and press each piece to make and indentation and then roll down the board. (If you want, you can go one step easier and forget the gnocchi board, just roll out some dough into a ½ inch thick rope, indent a line down the middle and cut in 1 inch segments).
  7. Toss with flour and put on cookie sheets. Apply more flour if they are a bit "sticky". Let rest and dry about 2 hours.
Fresh Ricotta
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add all ingredients and let come to a light boil. Cook for 15 minutes as the liquid and solid separate. Remove from heat and pour into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and let drain until all liquid is gone.
White Wine Braised Chicken Sauce
  1. Season the chicken legs on both sides with salt and pepper and in a very large saute pan on high heat with olive oil sear them until they are brown on all sides.
  2. Once they are brown remove them from the pan and place in a cassoulet baking dish.
  3. Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic into the hot pan where the chicken legs were and caramelize.
  4. Once they are brown, add in the flour
  5. Next, pour in the wine and reduce it by ½, then add in the the rand chicken stock and cook for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Pour the entire mixture into the dish with the legs and add the thyme bundle and bake on 300° for 2-3 hours.
  7. After they are cooked, remove the chicken and strain the sauce into a pot and cook until it is reduced by ½ and keep warm. Shred chicken and put back into sauce.
  8. In a bowl combined the chopped herbs and set aside.
  9. Cook pasta in large pot with salted water for 7-8 minutes or until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with sauce, herbs, and pasta water, if needed. Top with parmigano reggiano and serve immediately.
  10. Buon Appetito!
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Homemade Ricotta and Thyme Roasted Grapes

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Sometimes you just need cheese.

Homemade Ricotta and Thyme Roasted Grapes

I don’t know about you but it isn’t ice cream or gelato that I reach for on “those nights”, you know which ones….”those” but instead, I crave homemade ricotta period.

For me, “those nights” come so unexpectedly, just kinda sporadically and on unassuming days where I wouldn’t expect it. Thank GOD for the ability to drown sorrows in creamy goodness. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love gelato (ice cream is okay but gelato rocks) but it isn’t a consistent fix for me and I need something reliable when I am feeling “the need”.

Fortunately or unfortunately I don’t just have this ricotta during the drowning of emotions, I have it on my pizza, pasta, or just cuz…lots of just cuz….

Homemade Ricotta and Thyme Roasted Grapes

Okay enough on why I need homemade ricotta, let’s get down to the recipe so you can indulge with me on “those nights” or just cuz….

So, you ask, why bother? What could be THAT good to make ricotta from scratch AND roast grapes with thyme to add some sweetness? Welllll……I think the only answer I have is, it IS that good and you just have to experience it.

The BIGGEST key to this recipe is organic everything…organic whole milk, organic whipping cream, and organic white wine vinegar. It honestly creates the magic texture AND flavor, I don’t know exactly why, my best guess is the less added to the product, the better and it is probably as simple as that. Everytime I have used non-organic product, it just isn’t the same, it really isn’t. Also, take the time to let it come to a slow boil in order to separate the cheese from the whey (in other words, don’t get impatient, turn up the heat, and push the process) it will burn and not separate completely….and “old reliable” for “those nights” will become a quick failure. (HINT: perhaps just make some ahead…who needs to add frustration to life?)

Okay, so the grapes are really easy and add such a special flavor for a simple appetizer. I do like to use the globe grapes but they aren’t always available but when they are, use them. Obviously fall rocks to do this recipe because grapes are in season and naturally sweet and if, that’s a big IF, I have any leftovers, I use them on roasted pork or roasted chicken…..totally works as a yummo condiment.

Homemade Ricotta and Thyme Roasted Grapes

Lastly, the crostini, you can make or just buy or use crackers. I won’t call you or blacklist you if these aren’t from scratch (but I will say it is yummier when they are LOL).

There you have it, all the philopshophy, tips, and ingredients to do this….so….just do it! You will thank me later! 🙂 P.S. Isn’t that the cutest crostini EVER? How could you resist?

5.0 from 1 reviews
Homemade Ricotta and Thyme Roasted Grapes
 
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Serves: 10-12
Ingredients
  • Homemade Ricotta:
  • 6 cups organic whole milk
  • 2 cups organic heavy whip cream
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 T organic white wine vinegar
  • Thyme Roasted Grapes:
  • 1 bag of grapes
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • a pinch of sugar
  • parchment paper
  • 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Instructions
  1. Homemade Ricotta:
  2. In a saucepan on stove over medium heat, put in the milk, cream, salt, and vinegar. Bring to a medium heat and boil where it starts to separate. Put in a mesh colander over a bowl until liquid is drained. Put into desired serving dish.
  3. Thyme Roasted Grapes:
  4. Preheat oven to 350
  5. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
  6. Wash and dry grapes and spread individually on cookie sheet. Pour some olive oil over grapes, season with salt and pepper and a little sugar. Turn to coat evenly. Top with thyme sprigs.
  7. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Let cool and put in desired serving dish and serve with ricotta and crostini.

Homemade Ricotta and Thyme Roasted Grapes

Olive Oil Ricotta Cake with Plums

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Olive Oil Ricotta Cake with Plums 7

Olive Oil Ricotta Cake with Plums 5

I am a TOTAL sucker for Italian desserts, TOTAL. Well, a sucker for anything Italian really but since I am not a HUGE sugar girl, the desserts the Italians feast on to me are a perfect balance of cake, sugar, fruit, and indulgence…

I stumbled across this olive oil ricotta cake with plums from smitten kitchen during fruit harvest. I was getting totally burnt out of canning “another version of plum or peach butter” and was seriously looking for a small butter knife to put me out of my misery…..honestly it was pretty bad about day 20. I mean after 150 jars of fruit butter you are spent, trust me, SPENT.

I decided to hit the Internet and not the knife drawer to get some creative ideas on desserts for during the winter. I wanted something I could pull out of the freezer and have fresh and delicious sweet fruit from the fall harvest. This criterion doesn’t leave a ton of options so when I found this cake recipe, I was totally STOKED! It was perfect. I love ricotta, olive oil, and cake! Now I had the option to change up the fruit on top or mix some into the batter or whatever, I just knew me and my sweet tooth would be jazzed come December.

This olive oil ricotta cake is the happiest of both sides of the dessert fence. It satisfies the sweet tooth AND I don’t feel as guilty because it isn’t drudged in frosting and 3 layers tall. (Although the whip cream I usually make could become an argument), but nonetheless, it still feels a bit “guiltless” than some of others…

If you are finding yourself canning and looking for a butter knife, make this cake. If you find yourself feeling guilty just remember, who cares it’s LA DOLCE VITA…isn’t that Italian way….now go and enjoy and put down the butter knife.

Olive Oil Ricotta Cake with Plums
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • Butter for pan
  • 1 cup fresh, full-fat ricotta
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 9-10 small plums, halved, pitted, and set aside (I used fresh Italian Plums but any type would work)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
  • Confectioner's sugar, for dusting
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350° F, and butter and flour a 9-inch springform.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine and whisk the ricotta, oil, sugar, and zest together.
  3. Add one egg, whisk well; add the next, whisk again.
  4. Sift all of the dry ingredients, except for the confectioner's sugar, directly over the wet ingredients you just whisked together. Mix with a spoon gently until just combined.
  5. Pour the batter into the cake pan, spreading it out evenly as needed. If your plums are very tart, toss them with a tablespoon of sugar or honey, and place them in the top of the cake, cut-side down. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, the edges are pulling away from the pan, and a toothpick comes out of the cake cleanly. (Depending on your oven, this could take up to 45 minutes.) Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then turn out to finish cooling on a rack. Dust with confectioner's sugar, and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. This cake is awesome with whipped cream!

Olive Oil Ricotta Cake with Plums 4

Fresh Ricotta and Caramelized Marsala Shallot Angolotti with Shrimp Butter Sauce

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Shrimp3

I will always go back to pasta whenever I can….. just simply for my personal comfort food bliss. My fixation with ravioli borders obsessive because of the ENDLESS possibilities for the fillings (well and the dough for that matter). I love to work from the inside out when it comes to creating these little masterpieces, it’s almost like building a little sculpture, or at least in my mind…..

Growing up, my family made traditional ravioli that were filled with ricotta and parmigiano cheese and topped with a beef ragu. We didn’t have much variation to choose from and while I still LOVE these, I really dig the endless creations today.

My infatuation with ravioli really began when I owned my fresh pasta manufacturing company. Customers were requesting fresh ravioli so I actually purchased a ravioli machine. My fears and hesitations toward making them were conquered by the purchase of this machine, no doubt. To say the least, the learning curve itself was frustrating but when I made delicious fillings from what the farmers had for the week, it was ALL worth it. It was here where the creative juices birthed and put me out of the box regarding possibilities, it is where the fun began. Then each week I headed to the market and sold them to our awesome customers who reported amazing dishes they prepared, this was nothing short of addicting.

So when thinking which ravioli to post, I remembered my journey and decided that I would marry my heritage with a twist on innovation for the filling and then top with a decadent shrimp sauce. I also decided to try my hand at angolotti because if you don’t want to invest in a ravioli stamp or cutter to form the pasta, these can be finished with a knife and a fork and have a really pretty half moon shape, plus I really like the name….I have a tendency to pick wine this same way, let me see the label, is it pretty? Perfect, I’ll take it! How many of you can relate?

Anyway, if you haven’t made ravioli before or are a seasoned pro, these are simply delish and while its winter outside and a little more time on our hands, give these a try…….

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Shrimp Plate

Fresh Ricotta and Caramelized Marsala Shallot Angolotti with Shrimp Butter Sauce
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • Filling:
  • 2 T butter
  • 3-4 shallots, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup ricotta, preferably homemade, recipe below
  • Sauce:
  • 2 sticks of butter
  • 1½ lbs shrimp, shelled and devined
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 recipe basic pasta, rolled to second to the thinnest setting on machine, recipe bellows
  • 1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield ¼ cup
  • ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • Fresh Ricotta:
  • 6 cups organic whole milk
  • 2 cups organic heavy cream
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 T organic white wine vinegar
  • Fresh Egg Pasta:
  • 4 cups all purpose flour or caputo semolina flour (found on amazon)
  • 4 -5 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • water as needed
Instructions
  1. To Make Fresh Pasta:
  2. Make a mound of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board or in a bowl, whichever is more comfortable to you. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs and salt. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well. As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape. Do not worry that this initial phase looks messy. The dough will come together when ½ of the flour is incorporated. If using a bowl, turn out onto a wooden cutting board now and start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands primarily. Once you have a dough ball, remove its rom the board and scrape up any left over crusty bits. Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 3 more minutes. If dry, add 1 T of water at a time and incorporate. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue to knead for another 3 minutes, remembering to dust your board when necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Note: do not skip the kneading or resting portion of this recipe, they are essential for a light pasta.
  3. To Make Filling:
  4. In a saucepan on stove over medium heat, put in the milk, cream, salt, and vinegar. Bring to a medium heat and boil where it starts to separate. Put in a mesh colander over a bowl until liquid is drained.
  5. On stove top, heat medium sauté pan and add 2 T butter and melt. Add shallots and cook down. Add ⅛ cup of marsala wine and cook until caramelized.
  6. Take ricotta and put in a bowl and fold in caramelized shallots. Mixture shouldn't need salt and pepper but season to taste. If it is a little "thin" fold in some freshly grated parmigiano cheese as you don't want a "runny filling".
  7. To Make Angolotti:
  8. Cut dough into 8 sections and cover unused portion with damp cloth to avoid drying out. With a hand pasta machine or kitchen aide attachment set at widest setting, take a piece of pasta and press flat and pass through rollers, dust with flour and repeat on same setting, fold in half and repeat again, change setting to next smallest and run pasta through twice. Dust pasta if needed and repeat process on all until pass through second to last setting. Repeat this for all of the pasta and put the strips on a floured work surface.
  9. To form agnolotti, take a strip of pasta and place 1 tablespoon of filling 1 inch from the edge and 2-3 inches apart down the pasta strip. Brush pasta dough edges and in-between filling lightly with water. Take the pasta and fold op of over filling and pinch closed. Press dough flat between lumps of filling. Using a pastry/pasta cutter, preferably fluted, cut half moons using folded part as flat side of moon. If your cutter is smooth or you are using a knife, go back and press lightly with a fork to make indents. Continue until pasta and filling are finished and put on floured trays.
  10. To Make Shrimp Sauce:
  11. Preheat oven to 400. Rinse shrimp and add to bowl. Put in some olive oil and salt and pepper and toss together. About 5 minutes before boiling ravioli, spread shrimp on a cookie sheet and put in oven for 10-11 minutes.
  12. On stove top in a medium sauce pan, add 2 sticks of butter (can add more if needed and depending on serving amount), melt on medium-low until starts to become a brown butter. Don't do this step too soon or the butter will continue to brown and get burnt. If you do ahead, pour into a bowl and then reheat when ready.
  13. When shrimp are done, add to butter and cover to keep warm while angolotti are cooking.
  14. To Cook Angolotti:
  15. In a wide dutch oven pot, fill about ¾ full with water and bring to a boil. Add salt (salty as the sea) and carefully put in angolotti. Becareful NOT to overcrowd so do in batches if necessary. Cook about 5 - 7 minutes or until tender and remove with a slotted spoon onto a tray or into pasta bowls. If using pasta bowls, heat them slightly in microwave so that pasta isn't going into cool bowl. Repeat until done. Spoon over shrimp sauce and top with fresh parmigiano and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Shrimp3