The Dish: Cocoa Pasta with Chicken and Goat Cheese

This Valentine's Day Chef Brendan Wood is playing cupid at A Tavola in Winchester where he's sparking some romance with a silky ‘Cocoa Pasta with Chicken and Goat Cheese' dish.  

The Dish: Cocoa pasta with chicken and goat cheese

The Chef: Brendan Wood

The Restaurant: A Tavola

Cioccolato pasta

Ingredients:

--2 cups pasta flour

--4T cocoa powder (bitter)

--2 whole eggs

Procedure:

1. Mix the dry ingredients and create a well in the center.

2. Add the eggs and slowly incorporate the flour, cocoa mix until it is wet but not sticky. You may need to add a tablespoon or so of water to reach the desired consistency.

3. Roll out the dough as thin as you can. (If you are using a pasta machine take it all the way down to the thinnest setting.)

4. Cut the pasta into pappardelle, 1" wide, 8" long.

For the chicken (rabbit may be substituted)

1 3 to 3.5 LB rabbit or one whole chicken

1 carrot, large diced

1 onion, large diced

2 stalks celery, large diced

2 bay leaves (fresh is preferable)

2 quarts dark chicken stock

1/2 c red wine

Procedure:

If using rabbits, remove the hind and fore legs from the rabbit and the loins. (If unsure how to do this you may be able to buy just the rabbit legs.)

For a chicken season thoroughly with salt and pepper and roast until the thigh meat registers 135F. Or if using just chicken legs and thighs follow the recipe as if it was the rabbit.

Season the rabbit with salt and pepper and sear until golden. You should use a pan that you will also be able to braise in. Place the seared rabbit aside.

Add 1 Tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the carrots, celery and onions.

Lightly caramelize the vegetables, when they are golden brown add the bay leaves, so it start to release its natural oils. Be careful it will "pop" when it hits the hot oil.

Deglaze the pan with the wine to release the fond.

Return the rabbit to the pan and cover with the stock. Cover you braise and bake at 350F for 2 hours or until the meat falls off the bone.

Pick the meat and strain your braising liquid.

Slowly reduce your braising liquid by half

For the Finish:

1 batch chocolate pasta

1 batch rabbit meat and reduced braising liquid

2 T goat cheese

2 T grated parmigiano cheese

1 t cocoa nibs

1 T toasted, chopped almonds

Salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Cook your pasta until al dente.

2. Mix your meat with the braising liquid and mix with the parmigiano.

3. Add the pasta and mix with goat cheese just so that it starts to melt.

4. Season to taste.

5. Sprinkle on top with almonds and cocoa nibs.

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