• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 301 0

(each about 2 teaspoons filling) separated on the dough by about two fingers’ width. Fold the dough over the filling, gently pressing down between each ravioli, and then use a ravioli cutter or a knife to cut the strip into 8 individual raviolis, each about 3 by 2 inches. Gently crimp the edges of each ravioli all the way around. (Reserve any extra pasta pieces, seal in a plastic bag, and add them to soups.) Repeat with the remaining pasta dough and filling. You’ll end up with ninety-two 2-inch ravioli. If you’d like to make these ahead, store them in the freezer in plastic bags for up to 1 month.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (see Note). While the water heats, pour 3 cups of the reserved tomato water into a large, nonreactive sauté pan or skillet. (Gently warm the remaining tomato water and pour into a decanter, preferably clear glass, for the table.) Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-low heat, add the 24 shrimp, and poach until they turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes. With tongs, turn over each shrimp, add the cherry tomato halves, and cook for 1 minute.

When the pasta water boils, add the ravioli and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain.

Spoon 8 or 10 ravioli into each bowl and top with 4 shrimp and some tomatoes. Spoon on the tomato water and drizzle with shrimp oil at room temperature. Top each serving with about 1 teaspoon pesto and sprinkle with Parmesan. Let guests pour more tomato water from the decanter if they like.

Garganelli with Rabbit Sugo and Mushrooms

SERVES 6

Maybe the most popular pasta at Bottega, this old-school version of garganelli with slow-braised rabbit, sautéed chanterelles, and a spoonful of just-made ricotta is as perfect as pasta can be. Rabbits are underused by Americans, but they are more widely available than ever. Talk to your local butcher about ordering rabbit, or see Resources.

Wine Pairing: A super Tuscan

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

1½ cups warm water

One 3- to 3½-pound rabbit

Sea salt, preferably gray salt, or kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup diced yellow onion

½ cup diced peeled carrot

½ cup diced celery

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 cups dry red wine

1 fresh sage sprig

One 28-ounce canned whole San Marzano tomatoes, juice reserved

8 cups Roasted Chicken Stock

1½ pounds garganelli, penne, ziti, or other tube pasta

1 cup whole-milk ricotta

In a small bowl, soak the porcini in the warm water for 30 minutes.

To prepare the rabbit, remove the front and back legs and then cut in half from front to back. Remove the liver and kidneys, chop them finely, and set aside. Season the rabbit with salt and pepper. Heat a Dutch oven or large, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and sear the rabbit pieces until well browned on all sides. Using tongs, transfer the rabbit to a plate. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pan and sauté until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to high and sauté the vegetables until lightly browned. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 10 more minutes.

Drain and squeeze the liquid from the porcini, reserving the liquid. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside. Chop the mushrooms coarsely. Add them to the pan with the vegetables. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped liver and kidneys and cook for a few more minutes. Add the red wine, sage, and reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 4 minutes to reduce the liquid.

Using your hands, crush the tomatoes right over the pan. Add the reserved juice from the tomatoes and the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and return the rabbit to the pan. Completely submerge the rabbit by pushing it under the cooking liquid with a spoon. At Bottega, we make a parchment paper lid (see Chef’s Note) and push it down inside the pot so it rests on top the cooking liquid. If you prefer, you can use a standard pan lid, but the liquid