In this blog post, you’ll learn how to make homemade cavatelli, a traditional pasta dish from southern Italy.
Cavatelli is easy to make with two simple ingredients: durum wheat semolina flour and water. They are easy to shape with two fingers.
They are delicious with most sauces, from homemade pesto to lentil ragù and mushroom sauce.
Table of Contents
Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian and vegan diet.
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What is cavatelli pasta?
Cavatelli is a type of fresh pasta that originated in the southern Italian region of Molise.
From there, they traveled through the south of Italy to Puglia, Abruzzo, Calabria, and Sicily.
Now, cavatelli is available all over Italy and most parts of the world.
Traditional homemade cavatelli is prepared by hand with two humble ingredients: water and durum wheat semolina flour.
The pasta dough is the same you’d use to make homemade trofie and orecchiette.
It doesn’t contain eggs, butter, or animal products, so it is suitable for a vegetarian and vegan diet.
Cavatelli can be longer or shorter, depending on who makes them.
In general, however, they are an inch to two-inch long, with a hollow center.
The name comes from the word “cava,” meaning a hole.
For me, growing up with my Italian nonna, spending countless afternoons kneading dough and shaping all kinds of gnocchi and pasta, homemade cavatelli is the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients and substitutions for cavatelli pasta
Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Durum wheat semolina flour
Durum wheat semolina flour, or semola di grano duro in Italian, is essential when making cavatelli.
It’s different from all-purpose flour as it’s coarser and preserves a more al-dente bite when cooked.
You can find semolina flour in most supermarkets and online.
If you can’t find durum wheat semolina flour, replace it with all-purpose flour.
In this case, reduce the water by 1 – 2 tablespoons. Also, remember that the pasta will have a different bite and not be the authentic recipe.
Water
We recommend using warm water to better hydrate the flour.
Salt
We like to add just a pinch of sea salt.
How to make cavatelli pasta
US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Make the pasta dough
Add the durum wheat semolina flour, a pinch of salt, and water to a large mixing bowl and mix with a fork until all the water is absorbed.
Transfer the flour-water mixture to a clean worktop and knead by hand for 5 to 10 minutes.
The dough should be smooth on the surface, soft, and not sticky.
Shape the cavatelli
Cut the dough into four equal pieces.
Start working with one piece and cover the other three pieces with a clean kitchen cloth to prevent them from drying out.
Roll the dough into a long and thin snake-like shape.
Cut the dough into small pillow-shaped pieces.
Sprinkle with semolina flour to prevent the pieces from sticking to each other.
With your index and middle finger, apply pressure while rolling down each piece of pasta.
Here’s a slow motion of the process.
The classic shape of cavatelli is that of small pasta shells with a hollow center.
How to cook cavatelli?
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt, wait for the water to boil again, then gently add the cavatelli and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, with a slight bite.
Drain and add to your favorite sauce.
Serving suggestions
Serve cavatelli with your favorite sauce. We recommend:
Tips
Use the correct type of flour
We recommend using durum wheat semolina flour imported from Italy (semola di grano duro rimacinata) for the best pasta flavor and texture.
How much salt and water are needed to cook cavatelli?
You’ll need a large pot of salted water as follows:
- 8 ounces of cavatelli (230 grams): cook pasta in 2 quarts of boiling water (8 cups or 2 Liters) with 1 tablespoon of salt (15 grams). Serves 2 – 3 people.
- 12 ounces of cavatelli (340 grams): cook pasta in 3 quarts of boiling water (12 cups or 3 Liters) with 1 ½ tablespoons of salt (21 grams). Serves 4 people.
- 1 pound of cavatelli (450 grams): cook pasta in 1 gallon of boiling water (16 cups or 4 Liters) with 2 tablespoons of salt (30 grams). Serves 5-6 people.
How much cavatelli pasta per person?
Since this is a fresh pasta with a higher content of water, you can serve a little more per person than dry pasta.
We recommend around 100 to 120 grams (3.5 to 4 ounces) of homemade cavatelli per person.
Storage & Make ahead
Make ahead: Fresh pasta like cavatelli is excellent to make ahead because you can freeze it for months.
Refrigerator: Transfer the cavatelli to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Arrange them on a single layer without overlapping. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and store in the fridge for up to 36 hours.
Freezer: Transfer the cavatelli to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Make sure the tray fits in your freezer. Arrange the cavatelli on a single layer, then freeze for 2 hours.
To save space in the freezer, you can transfer the frozen cavatelli to a freezer-friendly bag and put it back in for 3 months.
Thaw: There’s no need to defrost the pasta. You can cook frozen cavatelli in salted boiling water from frozen.
More homemade pasta recipes
- Orecchiette (coming soon)
- Trofie
- Gnocchi
- Sweet potato gnocchi
- Butternut squash ravioli
More pasta recipes
Cavatelli pasta
Ingredients
- 2⅓ cup durum wheat semolina flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
MAKE THE DOUGH
- Add 2⅓ cup durum wheat semolina flour, 1 pinch salt, and 1 cup warm water to a large mixing bowl and mix with a fork until all the water is absorbed.
- Transfer to a clean worktop and knead by hand for 5 to 10 minutes.
- The dough should be smooth on the surface, soft, and not sticky.
SHAPE THE CAVATELLI
- Cut the dough into four equal pieces.Start working with one piece and cover the other three pieces with a clean kitchen cloth to prevent them from drying out.Roll the dough into a long and thin snake-like shape.
- Cut the dough into small pillow-shaped pieces.Sprinkle with semolina flour to prevent the pieces from sticking to each other.
- With your index and middle finger, apply pressure while rolling down each piece of pasta.
- Here’s a slow motion of the process.
- The classic shape of cavatelli is that of small pasta shells with a hollow center.
COOK AND SERVE
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, wait for the water to boil again, then gently add the cavatelli and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, with a slight bite.Drain and toss with your favorite sauce. Here we use our homemade pesto.
Notes
Nutrition
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