Orecchiette with Veal, Capers, and White Wine

For the past six months, my schedule has been ever-changing, far from “traditional", and particularly demanding of my energy.  I’ll admit it - I’ve struggled to adjust.  One particularly difficult aspect of my ever-evolving life: I’m rarely home to cook dinner.  It’s a tough reality for a girl who has spent the better part of the past two years devoting her life (4:30 AM wake-up calls and all) to the study of creating beautiful cuisine.  And an even tougher one for those of us who have grown accustomed to a scratch meal after work (I’ll include both Kevin and myself in that category).  My solution to the problem is not earth shattering, but it is worth sharing with friends: spend one day per week’s downtime creating a sturdy salad or slaw, a reheat-able protein, pizza, or pasta, and a big pot of soup.  Eat in various combinations, and freeze some of the soup for later.  I also make sure I have a couple of  options for breakfast available (frittata, whole wheat pancakes, muesli) and a snack or two, but that’s a topic for another time.

This Orecchiette with Veal, Capers, and White Wine from Grace Parisi and Food & Wine fits into my plan perfectly for two reasons.  First, it keeps and reheats beautifully, not to mention that it portions out flexibly.  Secondly, most of the ingredients are pantry staples - just pick up some fresh herbs and you’re ready to go.  I like to keep some ground meat in the freezer for moments that call for recipes like this, especially since I like to buy responsible meat when I see it.  I prefer Strauss brand veal out of Wisconsin because I have been to their farms, and their harvesting and processing facilities to witness their practices first hand.  There are responsible sources of veal out there, but you do have to search them out - If you can’t find one, this dish works with pork as well.

You can find the recipe for Grace Parisi’s Orecchiette with Veal, Capers, and White Wine here.

Wine pairing: Bisson 2010 Pigato Colline Del Genovesato.  This crisp white from the Italian coastal region of Liguria echoes the brininess of the capers and marries with the fresh herbs of this dish as it cuts through the richness of the veal.  It is light, dry, and crisp - perfect for using in the dish and for drinking with it.  If you can’t find the Bisson Pigato, another crisp Italian white, such as a Gavi, Arneis, Verdicchio, another Vermentino, or even a Pinot Grigio will work just fine.