These small, toothsome, tightly wound shell-shaped pasta requires no special equipment!
Cavatelli was invented in Molise, a region of Southern Italy.
It’s made from semolina flour, a bang out of durum wheat, and water.
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The dough is kneaded for several minutes until soft and smooth.
Finally, each piece is hand-rolled into its characteristic shape.
It’s important to drag each chunk firmly to create a thin inner cavity.
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Too thick, and it’ll taste doughy instead of having a slight chew.
Traditionally, cavatelli is hand-rolled with one’s fingers.
Cook until al dente according to package instructions, then drain and serve with your choice of sauce.
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Homemade cavatelli needs significantly less cooking time than dried cavatelli.
Looking for some sauce inspiration?
Form a well in the center of the flour, then pour in the water.
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If the dough begins to dry out slightly as you knead it (this is normal!
), spray it lightly with a mister or wet your hands.
Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
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This critical resting time allows the dough to hydrate properly and relax the gluten.
After the rest period, examine the dough.
If it feels sticky, knead in 1 teaspoon of semolina until it is no longer sticky.
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Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Dust generously with semolina flour.
Quarter the dough and take out one quarter to work with at a time.
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Cover the remaining sections in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
Slice the log into 1/2-inch pieces.
Cover with a kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the cavatelli and boil until they float to the surface, 5 to 6 minutes.
Cook for an additional 1 minute until they taste al dente.
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Fresh cavatelli is best stored uncooked and frozen.
Generously dust the pasta with semolina flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with flour.
Transfer to an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 1 month.
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Cook straight from frozen.
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Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
