Ceci Bean Cavatelli

SAVORY

Jun 4

Merguez, Caramelized Shallot, Caciocavallo, Paprika Jus, Fresh Herbs

Chef Brian Ahern of Boeufhaus | Chicago
Yield: 36 servigs

The cavatelli has been on menu since day one. It’s near and dear to my soul. It’s a dish I put on a napkin in 2006 or 2007 while I was eating at Donahue’s Steak House at 64th and Lexington in New York. The blood of this plate is the dark chicken stock. It’s going 24-7-365. We simmer and strain and emulsify fat back into it, like a ramen broth almost.

INGREDIENTS

Ceci Beans:
2 cups dry chickpeas, soaked overnight
Dark chicken stock

Cavatelli:
Olive oil
1.34 kilograms fresh ricotta
8 eggs
350 grams chickpea flour
900 grams 00 flour, plus additional as needed
1 teaspoon salt

Merguez:
2 kilograms ground lamb breast
1 kilogram ground pork fat
70 grams harissa
2 onions, diced and sweated
40 grams minced garlic
170 grams tomato paste
12 grams cayenne
9 grams paprika
9 grams ground cumin
16 grams cracked black pepper
2 bay leaves
9 grams fennel seed, crushed

Caramelized Shallot:
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 quart thinly sliced shallots
10 sprigs thyme
1 pinch red pepper flakes
½ cup dark chicken stock

Paprika Jus:
Olive oil
3 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
¾ cup reduced dark chicken stock

To Assemble and Serve:
Salt
Fried ceci beans
Dark chicken stock
½ ounce softened butter
½ ounce shaved Caciocavallo cheese
Olive oil
Finely chopped chives
Finely chopped parsley

METHOD

For the Ceci Beans:
To a pot over high heat, add beans and cover with stock. Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer. Cook until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature in cooking liquid. Cover and refrigerate.

For the Cavatelli:
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with an oiled dough hook, add ricotta and eggs and mix. When combined, mix in flours and salt. When dough comes together, wrap in plastic wrap and rest for minimum 2 hours, and up to 24. On a clean work surface, lightly dust dough with flour. Using a rolling pin or sheeter, flatten dough to ½-inch thick sheet. Cut sheet into ¾-inch squares. Using a gnocchi board, roll dough squares onto a sheet tray lined with parchment. Liberally dust Cavatelli with flour. Immediately cover with plastic and freeze for up to a month.

For the Merguez:
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, add all ingredients and mix until combined. Cover and refrigerate.

For the Caramelized Shallots:
In a hot rondeau with olive oil, cook garlic until light brown. Add shallots, thyme, and pepper flakes. When shallots begin to brown, deglaze with stock. Repeat until shallots are fully caramelized; cool. Cover and refrigerate.

For the Paprika Jus:
In a hot saucepot with oil, combine shallots, garlic, thyme, and paprika. Sweat until mixture is consistency of paste. Deglaze with stock until jus coasts back of wooden spoon. Cover and keep warm.

To Assemble and Serve:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 3 ounces frozen Cavatelli. Cook until about 85 percent done; drain. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add about 2 ounces Merguez, picking out any pieces of bay leaf. When Merguez has browned completely, add 1½ ounces Caramelized Shallots. Deglaze with stock. Add Cavatelli to the pan followed by butter, cheese, and a drizzle of oil; toss to combine. In a small bowl, toss to combine 1½ ounces Ceci Beans and Paprika Jus. Transfer pasta to a bowl and garnish with coated beans.

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