Showcased by Guy Fieri on the Food Network, this luxe version of traditional Mac N’ Cheese takes comfort food to a whole new level. Master Chef/Owner, Robert DiGiorgio of Key Largo’s award-winning Cafe Largo, is renowned for his authentic Italian-American classics. Here’s a taste of what you can expect when you visit his cozy Top Pick eatery.
INGREDIENTS
Cavatelli
•2 Cups Semolina Flour or All-Purpose Flour
plus more as needed for dusting and kneading
•Salt to Taste
•1/2 – 1 Cup Water (Room-Temperature)
Lobster Cheese Sauce
•3 Oz Olive Oil
•1 Florida Lobster, split and cleaned
•1 Cup Chopped Sweet Onion
•1/2 Cup Chopped Carrots
•1/2 Cup Chopped Celery
•3 Tb Crushed or Chopped Garlic
•1 Tb Black Peppercorns
•3 Oz Brandy
•2 Oz Clarified Butter
•2 Oz All-Purpose Flour
•1 Cup Heavy Cream
•2 Oz Grated Provolone
•2 Oz Grated Asiago Cheese
•2 Oz Grated Fontina Cheese
•2 Oz Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
•1/2 Tb Truffle Oil
Crumb Topping
•4 Oz Panko Breadcrumbs
•2 Tb Chopped Fresh Parsley
•1 Oz Butter – Room Temp
•1 Oz Truffle Oil
•Pinch of Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
PREPARATION
For The Cavatelli
Mix the flour and 1 tsp of salt into a mound on a clean counter or large cutting board. Make a well in the middle (as high as possible to avoid water run-off). Add some of the water to the well and use a fork or your fingers to gently mix the flour into the water without collapsing the walls of the mound (using your other hand to support the wall of flour helps keep the water from leaking). As you mix, slowly add more water to form a soft and sticky dough. It should not be either too dry or too wet. When you touch it, it should stick to your finger only slightly.
FYI: As you knead, the dough gets softer. If the dough is too wet, add a little flour. Knead the dough with a periodic dust of flour for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest about one hour. If you don’t have time, 20 minutes would do.
Shape the cavatelli by cutting off a small piece of dough and rolling it into a long rope about 1 centimeter (.4 inch) in diameter. Cut the dough into 1-centimeter-long (.4” -long) pieces. Place a piece in front of you horizontally and rest your index and middle fingers on it. Press the dough as you pull your fingers towards you. As you pull, the dough rolls to form the cavatelli shape. Place the pasta pieces on a lightly-floured baking sheet or plate.
For The Lobster Cheese Sauce:
Heat a stockpot with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the lobster shell-side down and sauté for 6 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic and peppercorns to “sweat” the vegetables. Add the brandy and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove the lobster and set aside. Add 4 cups water of to the pot, bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by at least 25 percent.
Meanwhile, make the roux: add the clarified butter to a pan over low heat and gradually whisk in the flour until it gets very thick. Strain the stock and place it back in the same pot. Bring to a boil, whisk in the heavy cream and roux and simmer to the desired consistency. Stir in the provolone, asiago, fontina and Parmesan until melted. Stir in the truffle oil.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook about 6 oz of the cavatelli until they float to the top and are al dente (about 4 minutes).
For The Crumb Topping:
Mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley, butter, truffle oil and a pinch salt and pepper in a small bowl. Remove the lobster meat from the shell and cut it into pieces. Fold it into the cheese sauce, then fold in the pasta. Pour the mixture into an oven-safe dish and top with the crumb topping. Bake for about 6 minutes.
Cook’s Note: To freeze any leftover fresh cavatelli, let them dry on the baking sheet first for about an hour or so and then freeze them on the tray. This way, they don’t stick to each other. After they are frozen, move them into a zipper bag and put them back into the freezer.
Enjoy!
You can enjoy this and many other signature dishes at the award-winning Café Largo, 99530 Overseas Hwy (MM 99.5 Bayside) Key Largo, Fl 33037. Info: 305-451-4885; keylargorestaurants.com.
