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4.8 from 18 votes

Ricotta Cavatelli

Ricotta Cavatelli are fresh handmade pasta hailing from Southern Italy and featuring only a few simple ingredients. They freeze really well, are fun to make, and are very versatile.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
mins
Resting Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 33 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 319 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 500 grams (4 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 450 grams (1 pound) whole-milk ricotta cheese, store-bought or homemade
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the flour, ricotta, milk, egg, and salt. Knead with your hands or on medium speed for 10 minutes, until fully combined and the dough is fairly smooth, but may still be a bit sticky. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and dust with flour.
  3. Cut off a chunk of dough about the width of 2 fingers and leave the rest covered with plastic wrap. On a lightly floured work surface, use your hands to roll the chunk into a rope about ½ inch (12 mm) in diameter. Do not incorporate too much more flour into the dough, adding just enough so the dough does not stick to the surface.
  4. Cut the rope into ½- to 1-inch (12-mm to 2.5-cm) pieces. With the side of your thumb, gently push each piece against a gnocchi board or the back of the tines of a fork, rolling and flicking the dough to make a curled shape with an indentation on one side and a ridged surface on the other. Arrange cavatelli on the prepared baking sheets and shape the remaining dough. Make sure that the cavatelli don’t touch or they will stick together.
  5. To cook, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the cavatelli and simmer until they float to the surface, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and finish with your choice of sauce. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • To store, refrigerate on the baking sheets, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. Or freeze on the baking sheets until cavatelli are frozen solid, then transfer to an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag. Use frozen cavatelli within 3 to 4 months. Do not thaw before cooking.
  • Cavatelli can be served with just about any sauce, including tomato sauce, meat ragù (meat sauce), pesto, brown butter, fonduta (cheese sauce), puttanesca sauce, amatriciana sauce, pink vodka sauce, and more.
  • The intended serving size of 8 for the recipe is fair (about 135 grams—uncooked—or 45 pieces of cavatelli per person), but you could spread it out a bit more heartily and serve 6 instead (about 180 grams—uncooked—or 60 pieces of cavatelli per person).
  • If you own a hand-crank cavatelli machine, you should be able to use it for this dough (though I haven't tested it myself since I don't own a machine). Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for forming them.
  • Adapted from Pasta by Hand

Nutrition Information

Calories 319kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 48g (16%) Protein 16g (32%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 29mg (10%) Sodium 196mg (8%) Potassium 60mg (2%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 7g (14%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 319

% Daily Value*

Calories 319kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 48g 16%
Protein 16g 32%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 29mg 10%
Sodium 196mg 8%
Potassium 60mg 1%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 7g 14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.