Orecchiette with Veal, Capers, and White Wine

One of the perks of going to visit my in-laws in La Quinta (other than LaQuinta itself) is the food. My FIL is a great cook and makes something delicious every night. One of our favorite dishes from our recent visit was orecchiette with veal, capers, and white wine. Oh my goodness, it was sooo good. I couldn’t wait to try making it once we were home. It’s another simple, delicious, and satisfying meal that deserves a top spot in the “comfort food” category. So many flavors! Capers give it that briny edge and the fresh herbs I picked from our garden add a nice complexity. The sauce itself is delicate and bits of it get trapped in the orecchiette – the perfect pasta for this sauce, in my opinion. This recipe serves 4-6 depending on appetite. We had it with a simple tossed salad and a glass of pinot noir. Let me know if you try it. Enjoy!

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Orecchiette with Veal, Capers, and White Wine

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 lb ground veal
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 tsp rosemary, chopped
• 1 tsp thyme, chopped
• 2 tbsp capers
• 3/4 lb orecchiette
• 1/2 cup parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium-high heat stirring until softened about 5 minutes. Add the veal, season with salt and pepper, and raise the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally until veal is no longer pink and any liquid has evaporated about 8 minutes.
• Add the white wine to the skillet and boil over high heat until nearly evaporated about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, rosemary, thyme, and capers and simmer over medium heat until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in a large pot boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta well and add it to the skillet along with the cheese, chopped parsley, and butter. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until sauce is thick & creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
• Transfer to bowls and serve immediately.