Cavatelli alla Molise
Cavatelli alla Molise
To make the pasta dough for the cavatelli, I use the All-Purpose Pasta Dough recipe from the Manicotti recipe on this site.
Cut pasta dough into strips
1. After dough is made, roll out to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured work surface, then cut into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Take each strip and roll between both hands to make a thick rope. Then cut each rope into 3/4-inch pieces.
Roll each strip between your hands to make a 'snake'
Cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2. Take each piece of dough and roll along the side of a cheese grater. Just bunch your fingers together, making an indent in the dough piece and roll along the grater. This will thin out the dough and cause each of the pieces to roll up like a dimpled shell to give the cavatelli its distinctive shape.
Roll each piece on a cheese grater
Here are your dimpled cavatelli shells, ready to cook
3. Place the cavatelli in boiling salted water and cook for 5-7 minutes or until they float to the surface. Make sure you test one to make sure the dough is cooked all the way through, but don't overcook. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce. (See the Weeknight Marinara Sauce recipe with the Manicotti recipe on this site.)