Handmade Ricotta Cavatelli

close up of handmade cavatelli pasta on flour dusted board

Handmade Ricotta Cavatelli

The Italian dumpling you don't hear about as often but once you try making you won't be able to forget it. Cavatelli is similar to gnocchi in that its rolled but that is where the similarities end. And this version works ricotta into the dough with tender and light results. Here is your step-by-step guide for making ricotta cavatelli, perfect for your favorite pasta sauce or brothy soup.

Course Main Course, Pasta, pasta side dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 5

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Author Lori Murphy

Equipment

cavatelli maker optional but very helpful!

Ingredients

3 cups 00 flour or all purpose works too
salt
1 lb whole milk ricotta
2 eggs

Instructions

To make the cavatelli

Lay a large dish towel on a sheet pan.
Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the ricotta and eggs and use a fork to beat the eggs, mixing the flour and ricotta into the dough.
Note: You can also use a stand mixer to mix the dough together on low.
1 lb whole milk ricotta, salt, 3 cups 00 flour, 2 eggs
Mix the dough in the bowl until it comes together and then turn it out onto a wooden board. Knead the dough until it comes together and you have a ball. You just don't want any major lumps of flour. Add a little sprinkle of flour if the dough is sticking to the board.
Cover with a damp cloth and let the dough rest on the board for about 30 minutes.

To roll cavatelli by hand:

Cut the dough into quarters. Work with one piece at a time and cover the others with a bowl turned upside down or with a tea towel.
Roll the dough into a long rope about ¼-½” thick. Cut the length of the dough into 1 ½ pieces.
OPTION #1 Grandma's method
Use your index and middle fingers together and place their fingers on the long side of a piece of dough. Lightly press down and pull your fingers towards you flipping the piece of dough over itself making a cavatelli.
OPTION #2 Hot dog bun method
You can also shape the cavatelli around your pinky finger by pressing your pinky finger into a cut piece of dough and allowing the dough to cup around the sides. Slightly bring the sides together.
OPTION #3 Ridged paddle
Roll the piece of dough down a gnocchi board to get the grooves for sauce to stick to.

To roll by cavatelli maker

Attach a cavatelli maker to the edge of a counter or kitchen table and place a large dish towel sprinkled with flour in front.
Measure a ping pong ball sized piece of dough into approximately 5" long and as wide as you need to be a little narrower than your rollers on the machine.
Crank the handle with one hand as you feed the dough until it catches through the cavatelli maker. Continue turning the handle as the cavatelli pops out below
Place the uncooked shaped cavatelli on the tea towel and sprinkle over some flour. Periodically give the sheet pan a shake so the pasta doesn’t stick to each other.

To cook cavatelli:

Carefully add floured cavatelli to a colander and gently shake to remove any excess flour so your pasta ends up firm and not cooking in gummy water.
Bring a large pot of water to a gentle rolling boil. Season with kosher salt and carefully add the now unfloured cavatelli.
Gently stir the pasta with a large spoon. Cook the pasta for about 3 -4 minutes and taste. It should be firm yet tender.
Remove the cavatelli with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and set aside while the sauce is simmering. Pull out about 1 cup of pasta water.
Toss with your favorite sauce. p.s. cavatelli is so good buttery tomato sauce or homemade pesto!

Notes

I offer 3 methods for rolling and shaping cavatelli. You can make them very small or longer if that's your preference. I recommend practicing to find your favorite. You can't mess it up...and as Grandma Nina says, "it's all in the fun of the game!"

If using a cavatelli hand crank "machine", make sure to flour the machine between pieces of dough. I also flour the dough.

Also, take your time...if you crank the machine too quickly, it might the cavatelli might stick to the machine instead of coming out one at a time.

Enjoy!

Lori

To make ahead and freeze. Make, roll and shape the cavatelli and shake excess flour off in a colander. Place in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze until firm. Remove to a freezer bag or storage container and freeze for up to 3 months.

I don't recommend you make ahead and refrigerate the uncooked pasta for a couple of days. You are better off boiling it and reheating it by tossing in your sauce before serving.

Store leftover cooked cavatelli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.