10/15/2024
Homemade Malfatti Pasta With Roasted Vegetables and Chicken
Contributed by culinary partner Barbara Seelig Beyer October 3, 2024
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I picked this recipe for Homemade Malfatti Pasta With Roasted Vegetables and Chicken because it is high in protein and fun to make with your loved ones. I love cooking with my spouse and grandkids, creating wonderful memories and precious bonds. An additional bonus is that kids who learn to cook are likely to be healthier eaters.
The name malfatti means badly formed because you make these completely by hand and they will all be slightly different.
Making the Malfatti
There are just four ingredients needed to make these light and fragile Italian dumplings. Whole-milk ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, an egg and 00 flour (finely milled flour) or all-purpose flour.
The ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano and egg are pulsed together in a food processor and then placed in a bowl. Add the flour and mix until just blended. Don’t overmix the dough or the malfatti will be tough. Also, make sure the dough is dry and not sticky. If it is sticky add more flour.
Once the dough is mixed, break off pieces and roll them out into a rope about 3/4- to 1-inch thick. Then cut the rope into smaller pieces using a sharp 4″ Paring Knife.
We discovered that Cutco’s Super Shears also work well for cutting the pasta and you could also use a pastry cutter.
To cook the malfatti, bring salted water to a boil, drop them in and when they start to float, cook two to three minutes, and then remove them to a serving dish. Reserve some of the pasta water to use later as a thickener for the sauce, if needed.
The Sauce and Chicken
The sauce is very simple, yet has complex flavor. It includes the simple ingredients of grape tomatoes, chopped zucchini and minced garlic.
The tomatoes stay whole, the garlic is minced and the zucchini is cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Cutco’s 4″ Vegetable Knife is a great choice for preparing it.
For the chicken thighs, I cut them into bite-sized pieces using the Santoku-Style Trimmer.
Toss the veggies and chicken together with some olive, salt and pepper, and place everything on a sheet pan to roast in a hot oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
Once the veggies and chicken have roasted, mix everything together. The tomatoes should break apart into a sauce-like consistency. To thicken the sauce, use some of the reserved pasta water.
Homemade Malfatti Pasta With Roasted Vegetables and Chicken is fun to make and a good recipe for getting the kids involved. The pasta is light and the sauce is savory, making it irresistible. You can also make this a vegetarian dish by leaving out the chicken.
My wine pairing suggestions for this dish would be a Verdicchio for white wine drinkers and a Barbera for red wine drinkers. I would also consider a sparkling Lambrusco for a fun, festive pairing.
Homemade Malfatti Pasta With Roasted Vegetables and Chicken
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Ingredients
For the malfatti pasta:
1 1/2 - 2 cups whole milk ricotta
6 ounces (by weight) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 large egg
1 cup imported Italian 00 flour or all-purpose flour
For the sauce:
6 cups grape tomatoes
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
Extra-virgin olive oil, drizzle
Salt and pepper, pinch
Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano for grating and finishing
Fresh basil for garnish
Directions
Make the pasta:
Place ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano and egg in a food processor and process until smooth. Remove mixture and place in a large bowl.
Add flour and mix just until blended. Do not overmix or the malfatti will be tough.
Break off pieces of the mixture and roll into a rope about 3/4- to 1-inch thick. Cut the rope into smaller pieces and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet while preparing all the dough.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add malfatti. When they come to the surface continue cooking 2-3 minutes. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water.
Instructions for sauce:
Preheat oven to 450 F convection.
Place tomatoes in a large bowl.
Add zucchini, chicken and garlic to the bowl with the tomatoes.
Toss with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and a pinch of coarse ground black pepper. The vegetables and chicken should be lightly coated in olive oil.
Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until nicely browned, about 20-30 minutes.
Once roasted, place in a large bowl and toss to blend the flavors. The tomatoes should be soft enough to break up and provide a sauce-like consistency. Add pasta cooking water as needed to make a sauce-like consistency.
Serve on top of the malfatti and garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese and freshly torn basil.
