Cavatelli alla Greca (English version)

Photo: Wikipedia

One day last summer, I was dreaming about the flavors of moussaka.  Simultaneously I was dreaming about cavatelli, the glorious pasta from Molise that found its way to Apulia and, later, to Ellis Island. From my youth in Boston I have wonderful memories of ricotta cavatelli, lighter than gnocchi but with the same ability to capture the sauce.

Here are two recipes, the first in bianco (my improvisation from last summer), the second in rosso (which I made tonight).  I'm wildly enamored with these two "Greek" dishes.

VERSION I: Cavatelli alla Greca, in bianco

Ingredients

22 oz. ricotta cavatelli
extra-virgin olive oil
2 big potatoes (unpeeled), cut in little cubes (about the size of lumps of sugar)
1 lb. ground lamb
1/2 large onion (or 1 small onion), chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon, sliced (the ends discarded)
fresh oregano
fresh-grated allspice
fresh-grated cinnamon
fresh-grated nutmeg
salt
fresh-grated black pepper
crushed red pepper
fresh mint
fresh feta cheese

Preparation

1. Heat the frying pan. Add the oil.
2. Add the potatoes, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook until the potatoes are golden brown (5-10 minutes).
3. Add the onion, being careful not to burn it. (It will take many a minute, two tops.)
4. Add the garlic. A few seconds after adding the garlic, add the lamb.
5. When half the pink color of the meat disappears (it will take only a couple of minutes), add the lemon slices.
6. Add 2-4 oz. of the water from the pasta.
7. Add the allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and oregano. (Add them after having added the liquid, so that the herbs won't burn.)
8. The MOMENT that the lamb is no longer pink, the dish is finished. Don't overcook it.
9. Serve it with freshly grated feta and several sprigs of mint.

Vino: A falanghina would be perfect. Feudi di San Gregorio makes a falanghina that's out of this world.


VERSION II: Cavatelli alla Greca, in rosso

Ingredients

22 oz. ricotta cavatelli
extra-virgin olive oil
2 big potatoes (unpealed), cut in little cubes (about the size of lumps of sugar)
1 lb. ground lamb
1/2 large onion (or 1 small onion), chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 oz. homemade red wine vinegar (or 4 oz. red wine + 4 oz. red wine vinegar)
8 oz. HOMEMADE stock (pork, beef, or poultry)
28 oz. peeled tomatoes, puréed in the blender
fresh oregano
fresh-grated allspice
fresh-grated cinnamonc
fresh-grated nutmeg
salt
fresh-grated black pepper
crushed red pepper
fresh mint
fresh feta cheese

Preparation

Unlike the recipe above, I didn't want to do the potatoes in the frying pan. I boiled them instead in the same water as the cavatelli. Meanwhile, in the hot frying pan add the oil, then the onion and red pepper, then the garlic.

One minute after adding the garlic, add the lamb, salt, and black pepper.

When half the pink color has disappeared from the meat (it will take only a couple of minutes), add the vinegar (or the wine and vinegar). When it comes to a boil, add the stock.

When it returns to a boil, add the tomatoes.

Cook it on a medium flame for about 15 minutes (after 7.5 of which add the oregano).

Serve it with freshly grated feta and a few sprigs of mint.

Unlike the white version, this red version yields a little more sauce than you will need.

Vino: I don't know Greek wines, but a wine from Apulia, be it primitivo or negroamaro, would be perfect. Li Veli makes a combination of primitivo and negroamaro called Primonero. It would be like the end of the world with this dish.