Best 2 Strozzapreti Recipes

STROZZAPRETI WITH OXTAIL RAGù AND HORSERADISH CRUMBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Season oxtails with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high and cook oxtails until deeply browned all over, 15-18 minutes; transfer to a bowl.
• Meanwhile, finely chop onion, carrots, and celery in a food processor.
• Cook vegetables in same pot, stirring often, until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Return oxtails to pot and add wine, broth, and 2 teaspoons rosemary. Oxtails should be just covered; top off with water if needed. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to oven. Braise, checking halfway through to make sure oxtails are covered at least two-thirds of the way up, until meat is falling off the bone, 2-2 1/2 hours. Remove oxtails from liquid. When cool enough to handle, shred meat and return to sauce; discard bones.
• Meanwhile, toss breadcrumbs with remaining 2 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet, squeezing bread to help it absorb oil. Bake until golden brown, 5-7 minutes; let cool. Stir breadcrumbs, horseradish, and remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary in a medium bowl.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente (pasta will still be opaque and very firm in the center). Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
• Bring ragu to a simmer over mediumhigh heat. Add pasta and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid and cook, tossing often and adding more cooking liquid to help finish cooking pasta, until pasta is al dente and sauce is thickened and coats pasta, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve pasta topped with horseradish breadcrumbs.
• Do Ahead
• Ragù can be made 4 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

STROZZAPRETI OR "PRIEST CHOKERS" WITH SAGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined sieve and place the sieve over a bowl. Cover the ricotta with plastic wrap and place the ricotta in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or up to 1 day.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs until well blended. Add the spinach and beat until blended. Stir in the drained ricotta, 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano and 5 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir until well blended.
• Coat a baking pan with a generous amount of the flour. Line a second baking pan with a lightly floured kitchen towel. With floured hands, roll two tablespoons of the ricotta mixture into a 1 1/2-inch ball. Roll it in the flour until generously coated. Before continuing, test the flavor and texture of the mixture by dropping the strozzapreti into the boiling water. It should hold its shape and rise to the surface within a minute. Continue cooking for 1 minute after the strozzoprete rises to the surface, then lift it with a slotted spoon from the water. If the strozzaprette didn't hold its shape, add a little more breadcrumbs.
• Once you're happy with the taste and texture of the strozzapreti, form the remaining mixture into balls, roll them in flour and set them on the lightly floured towel.
• In a skillet large enough to hold the cooked strozzapreti in a single layer, heat the broth, butter and sage leaves over medium low heat to simmering; simmer 3 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat.
• Add half the strozzapreti to the pot of boiling water and stir gently until they return to the surface. Cook until firm, about 1 minute after they rise to the top. Remove them with a skimmer and transfer them to the pot with the sage sauce, draining well. Repeat with the remaining strozzapreti. Place the pan over medium-low heat and gently shake the pan to warm the strozzapreti and coat them with sauce. Remove the pan from the heat, add the grated cheese and swirl the strozzapreti in the sauce until they are coated.
• Serve the strozzapreti in warmed bowls, spooning extra sauce over each. Pass additional cheese if you like.