Handmade Ricotta Cavatelli
This is a type of pasta that my Nonna Rosa was a master at. I’ve watched her make it so many times and enjoyed eating it with her on her long trips to America, where she stayed with us for 6 months at time. I feel very fortunate to have had those times with her. She was originally from Basilicata, a small town called Roccanova. In her day, everything was made by hand daily and weekly, including bread. She and my mother taught me everything I know about making pasta and bread.
The word ‘Cavato’ means to indent or hollow. Thus the name for this pasta ‘Cavatelli’, because you hollow out or indent the center with your fingers. This is an 2 ingredient pasta that comes together very easily. With just ricotta and semola rimacinata and a little kneading, you can make this amazing dish yourself.
Handmade Ricotta Cavatelli
Ingredients
- 700 g Whole Milk Ricotta, drained
- 450 g Semola Rimacinata or 00 Flour
Sauce
- 2 28 oz cans San Marzano Tomatoes, pureed
- 1/2 Onion, diced
- Fresh Basil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the Ricotta to a colander and place it over a bowl and cover with a cheesecloth. Drain overnight in the refrigerator.
- Into a pan, add olive oil and onion. Saute until translucent. Add pureed tomatoes (wash out the cans with water and add that in as well), season with salt, pepper and fresh basil. Stir to combine, bring it up to a boil and lower it down to a simmer for 1 1/2 -2 hours. You want the sauce to reduce and become thicker.
- Onto a kneading surface, add the flour, make a well in the center and add the drained ricotta.
- Begin combining the 2 ingredients by hand and continue to knead until you achieve a smooth ball. The dough should not be sticking to your hands. If it is, add more flour to the surface and continue to knead.
- Let the dough rest covered for 15 mins. Start cutting of pieces of dough and roll it out to a rope that is about an inch in diameter. Cut pieces that are about an inch long and dust with flour so they don't stick together. Continue to do this until you have run out of dough.
- Prepare a sheet pan with a clean kitchen towel on it. Dust the kitchen towel with flour.
- Take one piece of dough and using 2 fingers press and pull toward you to create the caved in form, "Cavatelli". This may take some practice.
- Dust with more flour and place onto the sheet pan with the kitchen towel. Cover until ready to cook.
- Bring water to a boil, salt it generously. Add the cavatelli, and boil until they come to a float and are tender. Make sure to stir after you add them in so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Drain the pasta and add to a serving dish. Add the sauce and mix gently. Top with grated pecorino or parmigiano and enjoy!
