Chef Bill Fuller: Spring Pasta Recipes

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- This week, Chef Bill Fuller, of the big Burrito Group, is in the Pittsburgh Today Live kitchen with spring pasta recipes to celebrate Casbah's "Pasta Fest."

Rigatoni, Beef Short Rib, English Peas, Smoked Mozzarella, Bread Crumb
Serves 4 as a light pasta; Serves 2 as an entree

Ingredients:

• 1 # Fresh Rigatoni
• 2 C. Braised Short Ribs, diced
• 2 C. Short rib braising liquid
• 1 C. Fresh shucked English peas
• 4 Tbs. Butter
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 ea, Slices of smoked mozzarella
• 2 Tbs. Olive oil
• ¼ C. Bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Bring 4 qt. of salted water to a boil.
2. While waiting for the water to boil, lightly brown the slices of smoke mozzarella. Reserve warm.
3. In a wide skillet, heat the short rib in the short rib braising liquid.
4. Add peas.
5. Cook pasta in salted boiling water until desired doneness. Fresh pasta cooks rather quickly so keep at the stove.
6. Remove the pasta from the water and reserve at least 1 C. of the cooking water.
7. Add the cooked pasta to the short rib mixture. Toss together.
8. Add the butter and stir until it is emulsified into the sauce.
9. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water. The sauce should stick to the noodles.
10. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
11. Serve in a large bowl topped with slices of cheese.

Braised Short Ribs:

Ingredients:

• 1 pc Beef Short ribs (approx. 4 # with bones)
• 2 C. Onion, large dice
• 1 C. Celery, large dice
• 1 C. Carrot, large dice
• 1 C. Syrah
• ½ C. Tomato paste
• 2 pt. Chicken stock
• 2 ea Bay leaves
• 4 sprig Thyme
• 4 sprig Rosemary
• 2 head Garlic, split
• Vegetable oil as needed
• Kosher Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel and season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. In a large heavy bottom pot, heat enough oil to barely cover the bottom of the pot. Just before the oil starts smoking carefully add the short ribs and brown well on all sides. Remove from the pot and reserve.
3. Drain off excess fat from the pot. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are golden brown. Add the tomato paste and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes stirring often.
4. Add the wine to the pan and stir well, reduce by about half.
5. Return the ribs to the pan, along with any drippings, add the thyme, rosemary, garlic, bay leaves, and enough stock to cover by about half.
6. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to a 350º oven and braise for approximately 2 hours. The ribs should be very tender.
7. Remove the meat from the braising liquid and cool. Strain, and degrease the braising liquid, and reserve.

Lumache, Pork Shoulder, Ramps, Fava Bean, Cherry Tomato, Pecorino Romano, Parsley
Serves 4 as a light pasta; Serves 2 as an entrée

Ingredients:

• 1 # Fresh Lumache pasta
• 2 C. Simple Roasted Pork Butt, diced
• 2 C. Pork butt braising liquid
• 4 ea. Ramps, bulbs sliced thinly
• ½ C. Shucked fava beans
• 1 C. Halved cherry tomatoes
• 4 Tbs. Butter
• Salt and Pepper
• ¼ C. Chopped parsley
• ½ C. Shaved Pecorino Romano

Directions:

1. Bring 4 qt. of salted water to a boil.
2. In a wide skillet, heat the pork shoulder in a little of the pork braising liquid.
3. When pork is warm, add ramps, favas, and cherry tomatoes.
4. Cook pasta in salted boiling water until desired doneness. Fresh pasta cooks rather quickly so keep at the stove.
5. Remove the pasta from the water and reserve at least 1 C. of the cooking water.
6. Add the cooked pasta to the pork and vegetable mixture. Toss together.
7. Add the butter and stir until it is emulsified into the sauce.
8. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water. The sauce should stick to the noodles.
9. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
10. Serve in a large bowl topped with cheese and parsley.

Simple Roasted Pork Butt:

Ingredients:

• 1 ea. 3-4# piece pork butt (shoulder)
• 2 C. Sugar
• 2 C. Salt
• ½ C. Black pepper

Directions:

1. Mix sugar, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl.
2. Place pork butt in a baking dish. Rub cure mix into meat on all sides. Let pork butt sit in refrigerator overnight.
3. Scrape excess seasoning from pork butt. Remove pork butt from dish. Rinse dish.
4. Return pork to pan and place in a 300° oven for 10-12 hours. The pork butt is ready when the bone pulls out of the meat easily.
5. Let pork rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Remove excess fat and bones while still very warm. You may want to wear rubber gloves.
6. Dice pork.