Homemade Cavatelli Pasta Dough Recipes

HOMEMADE CAVATELLI PASTA

Steps:

• Mix semolina flour and salt in a large bowl or on a marble work surface. Make a well in the center.
• Pour water into the well a little at a time, mixing it with the flour. Add as much water as needed to make a sticky but compact dough.
• Knead dough with your hands by flattening the ball, stretching it, and folding the top towards the center. Turn 45 degrees and repeat until dough is elastic and smooth, but not too soft, about 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into a ball. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before using. If you are using the cavatelli within a few hours or the following day, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
• Work with one portion of the dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered to keep it from drying out. Dust a work surface with semolina flour; roll out the dough to make a rope, about 1/3 inch thick.
• Cut off little 1/3-inch-thick pieces. Press and gently drag the small piece of dough towards you with your index and middle finger. The two sides will curl inwards, leaving hollow spaces.
• Proceed the same way with the rest of the dough. Transfer cavatelli to a floured surface and sprinkle with more semolina flour. Do not overlap cavatelli or they will stick together. Let dry for about 30 minutes before cooking.

HOMEMADE CAVATELLI PASTA DOUGH RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the sifted flour on a wooden board and make a well in the center.
• Add the water and the salt in the center of the well.
• With a fork, start incorporating the flour and the water until you get a thick batter. Pull in the flour from the bottom of the well.
• With the help of a dough scraper, incorporate the rest of the flour (it may appear to you that there isn't enough water...just keep kneading...magically everything comes together).
• Knead for about 8-10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough feels sticky, add a little bit of flour. If, on the other hand, the dough feels dry, sprinkle a few drops of water over the dough and continue kneading.
• Wrap dough in cling wrap and let it rest for about one hour at room temperature (I will usually place a tea towel over the top).
• Cut the dough into 4 pieces.
• Roll out each piece of dough to approximately ¼ inch thick. Make sure your board and rolling pin are floured.
• Cut the into ¾ - 1 inch strips.
• Cut each strip into 1/4 - 1/2 inch rectangular pieces.
• Using the index finger, apply a gentle pressure on the dough, dragging it toward you. There should be a slight curl that forms.
• Place cavatelli on large baking sheets that have been dusted with flour. Place the cavatelli in a single layer and not touching one another.
• Continue until all the dough has been formed into cavatelli.
• Allow to air dry for at least 30 minutes.
• If using immediately, drop in a large pot of salted boiling water for a few minutes. The cavatelli are done when they float to the top. (Try to shake off as much as the flour as possible before boiling them). Taste to make sure they are cooked to your liking.
• If freezing, place the tray of cavatelli in the freezer and once frozen, place in plastic bag in the freezer. Can be cooked frozen. (Should take 6-8 minutes to cook. Once they rise to the top, they should be done. Taste to make sure they are cookedto your liking).
• Serve with your favorite sauce.

HOMEMADE CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Mix together flours and salt on a clean surface, make a well in center, and gradually add 1/2 cup water and oil, working flours into center until a dough forms. (If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.) Knead dough until smooth and it springs back when gently pressed, about 5 minutes. Wrap in plastic.
• Sprinkle 2 rimmed baking sheets with semolina flour. Divide dough into 8 pieces; keep covered with plastic wrap. Roll one piece at a time into a long rope, about 1/3 inch in diameter, then cut rope into 1/3-inch-long pieces. Using tips of index and middle fingers, firmly press each piece and pull dough toward you so it lengthens slightly and forms a curl in the middle. Transfer pieces to baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Cavatelli can be refrigerated, covered, up to 4 hours. (Or freeze on sheet; once firm, transfer to a resealable bag and freeze up to 3 months. There's no need to thaw before cooking.)

POTATO CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Boil potatoes unpeeled and send through a ricer to make 2 cups. Alternately, peel and boil, then mash. Mix in butter and milk. Let cool.
• In a sturdy bowl, using a stand mixer with a dough hook, or a wooden spoon or your hands, mix potatoes, oil, salt and eggs until smooth. Work in 2 cups flour, gradually adding more until dough is stiff and not sticky. (The amount of flour needed can vary greatly.)
• Pinch off a ball of dough, roll into a rope about an inch in diameter and cut into 3/4-inch dumplings. On a floured surface, press your thumb against the cut side of each dumpling and press down and away, so the dough flattens and flips up over your thumb. The result should look like a miniature hot dog bun.
• In boiling salted water, cook cavatelli, stirring once or twice as soon as you put them in, for about 5 minutes or until they rise to the top. Alternately, put them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then store in the freezer in a plastic bag. Dumplings will take about 10 to 12 minutes to cook. Top with tomato sauce, pesto or butter and Parmesan.

HOMEMADE CAVATELLI IN 3 EASY STEPS

Steps:

• Measure and sieve both flours and mound it on your kitchen worktop (preferably wooden).
• Using your hands, scoop out the center of your mound. Add water and extra virgin olive oil in the center.
• First with a fork then with your hands start to pull in flour to combine ingredients and form the dough.
• Knead for a 5-10 minutes until soft and smooth. Cover with a plastic wrap or a linen towel tucking the edges. Let rest for 10-15 minutes on the counter top to let the dough gain elasticity.
• Using a dough scraper cut off a piece from the dough ball.Roll it into a rope a bit more than ⅓ inch in diameter.Dust the work surface and the dough with some flour.
• Cut the rope into ⅓ inch "pillows".
• Using your index and middle finger press on the "pillow" curling it towards you.
• That's it!If the dough pieces start to stick to your finger, dust cavatelli with some more flour.
• Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.

HANDMADE ITALIAN RICOTTA CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Put 2 1/2 cups of the flour into a bowl, make a well in the flour, and add the cheese and eggs. Gradually work the mixture together, adding more flour if necessary, to make a soft but not sticky dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it is smooth. Let the dough rest at room temperature, covered with an inverted bowl or wrapped in plastic, for 30 minutes.
• Form the dough into a round and cut into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time (cover the remaining dough with an inverted bowl to keep the dough from drying out), on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rope 1/4 inch in diameter. With a knife, cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces. With your index and third fingers held together, gently press down on each piece, beginning at the top and moving down toward the bottom, dragging your fingers toward you and causing the pasta to roll over on itself. Transfer the formed pasta to a lightly floured jelly-roll pan and let dry at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
• Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook until the cavatelli are al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. They're done when they float up to the top. Drain and toss the desired quantity with your favorite sauce. Freeze leftovers.

EASY HOMEMADE PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Beat flour, eggs, olive oil, and salt together in a bowl. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to flour mixture until a smooth and very thick dough forms.
• Turn dough out onto a work surface and knead for 10 minutes. Let dough rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Divide dough into 8 balls and use a pasta machine to roll and cut dough into desired pasta shape.

RICOTTA CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Combine the ricotta, eggs and salt in a large bowl, then stir into the flour. Gently combine with your hands to bring together into a dough. Knead the dough together, adding additional flour until the dough is firm and not sticky. Tightly wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Cut the dough into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time, roll the dough on a lightly-floured surface into a 1/4-inch-thick rope. With a knife, cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Use a bench scraper or your index and third fingers held together to gently press down on each piece, beginning at the top and moving down toward the bottom, dragging the bench scraper toward you and causing the pasta to roll over on itself. Transfer the formed pasta to a lightly-floured baking sheet and let dry at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. (At this point, the pasta can be frozen in a single layer and stored in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer.)
• Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until the cavatelli are al dente and begin to float to the top, 3 to 5 minutes.