If you find that your family "Italian nights" are getting repetitive, this week's Chef's Kitchen is introducing you to the least non-spaghetti-and-meatballs of recipes around.
"It's elephant ear-type pasta," said Zarrella's Italian & Wood Fired Pizza's top chef, Dustin Dileo.
Chef is referring to orecchiette pasta. His dish is Orecchiette & Sausage, one of the Cape Canaveral eatery's signature dishes.
Chef prefers using "nice and sweet" Italian mild sausage. The recipe calls for everything from escarole and red and white kidney beans, to Parmesan cheese and, of course, the pasta. (TIP: If the consistency is runny, just add more Parm to correct).
Let's cook!
Orecchiette and Sausage
Ingredients:
4 oz of orecchiette
2 mild sausage (cut each sausage into five chunks)
2 oz olive oil
10 whole garlic peels(smashed)
6 oz of red and white kidney beans mixed with juice
2 oz of Escarole
1 oz of grated parm cheese
3 oz cube of butter
6 oz of chicken stock
Pinch of salt, pepper, and garlic
Directions:
Step 1: Place orecchiette in boiling salted water for 12 mins or al dente
Step 2: Place olive oil in a sauté pan and allow oil to get hot.
Step 3: Place cut sausage into hot oil and allow sausage to get golden brown
Step 4: Once sausage starts to golden up place garlic in and let garlic brown up
Step 5: Add rest of ingredients in with the sausage and garlic and place on low heat for 8 mins.
Allow sauce to thicken up. If sauce is too runny and more parm cheese to thicken it.
Step 6: Once pasta is complete DO NOT RINSE. Place hot pasta right in to pan and toss.
Place in bowl and top with homemade bread crumbs