California Fours Rigatoni Stuffed with Chicken and Fennel

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Barbara and Bill tried this recipe and just loved it. It is one that Bill got from the WEB site for the two famous cooks Mary Sue Milliken & Susan Feniger. They can be seen on the Food Channel.   I understand that it is somewhat complex in making but the results are well worth it.
Point - It is not a low-cal dish.     c.1997, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger, all rights reserved

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Stuffing Ingredients

• ¾ lb rigatoni
• ¾ lb ground chicken, white meat only
• 2 t fennel seeds, roughly chopped
• 1 small egg white
• 1 c heavy cream, cold
• 1 t salt
• ½ t freshly ground black pepper
• 2 dash hot sauce
• 1 t olive oil
• 2 t chopped fresh chives for garnish

Cream Sauce: Ingredients

• 2 c heavy cream
• ½ c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 t salt
• ½ t white pepper

Directions

Cook rigatoni
In a large pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. (Do not cook until tender because there is additional cooking later and if you do they will fall part.) Drain well in a colander, shaking vigorously. Cool on an oiled cookie sheet or clean countertop until nearly dry and toss with 1-tablespoon olive oil to coat. Reserve.

Prepare Stuffing:
Puree uncooked chicken, fennel, and egg white in a food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl nested inside a larger bowl half filled with iced water. Stir until evenly chilled.
Add cream, at about ¼ cup at a time, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon after each addition.
Stir in salt, pepper, and hot sauce. (At this stage, the stuffing can be stored in refrigerator up to 24 hours.)
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #4 plain tip with chicken mixture and stuff rigatoni from both ends. Reserve.

Prepare Sauce:
In a medium ovenproof skillet (on top of the range), combine cream, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

Combine and bake rigatoni
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Add the stuffed rigatoni to the sauce, bring it to a boil., then transfer to oven.
Bake until sauce is thickened, and rigatoni is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Spoon into serving bowls or plates, sprinkle with chives, and serve hot.