Ricotta cavatelli are the lighter version of semolina cavatelli. They have the same shape, but very closely resemble the lighter texture of ricotta gnocchi. Pair this pasta with a hearty beef ragu and you will not be disappointed. You can shape these little Italian dumplings by hand or use a cavatelli pasta maker. They come together in just 60 minutes and are worth every minute of work you put in!
Why you’ll love this homemade ricotta cavatelli recipe
- This recipe only has 259 calories per serving and fits into my weight-loss and weight-maintenance meal plans.
- This is a large batch recipe, so you will have lots to store in the freezer and save for an easy weekday meal.
- Making fresh cavatelli ensures you know exactly what you are eating and that there are no added preservatives that some store-bought cavatelli can have.
- There are only a few simple ingredients required to make this that are in most kitchen pantries.
- Although it seems like it would be a lot of work to form all these little dumplings, it is really only 20 minutes of work and then 30 minutes of resting the dough. That’s not too bad!
- There are so many different sauces and vegetables you could pair ricotta cavatelli with, so you will never get bored of eating it.
- Pasta just tastes better when you make it from scratch!
Ingredients
- Ricotta cheese
- “00” flour or all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Milk
- Egg
- Semolina flour for dusting
- Sauce of your choice
See recipe card for quantities.
Tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale (affiliate) that measures in grams as well as ounces
- High-speed blender or food processor (affiliate)
- Bench scraper or sharp knife
- Gnocchi board (affiliate) or cavatelli pasta maker
Instructions
If you have never made ricotta cavatelli, or any pasta dough before, I recommend starting with the hand method rather than the stand mixer (affiliate) method. It is easier to get a sense of the right texture and consistency that the dough should have to make great pasta. If you have done this a few times and are comfortable with the well-method you can progress to the stand mixer (affiliate).
Top tip
Use a kitchen scale (affiliate) with grams to measure out your ingredients when making any kind of pasta, pizza or bread dough. This will ensure the most accuracy and you will have consistent results every time.
Start with adding the ricotta cheese, egg, and milk into a blender or food processor (affiliate). You want it to be silky smooth so you end up with cavatelli that melts in your mouth. It is important to weigh all the ingredients in grams when you are making any kind of pasta or bread because it is more accurate than using ounces.
Next, pour the flour onto a clean work surface and create a well that is about 6-8 inches wide using a fork. Add the ricotta mixture into the center of the well. Start by using your fingers to slowly incorporate the edges of the flour well into the wet mixture.
Then use the dough scraper to cut the flour into the ricotta mixture. It should start to look shaggy and messy, with some parts dry and some parts wet.
Now it is time to roll up your sleeves and get to work! Using your hands, start kneading the dough and continue kneading for about 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and soft. If the dough is sticky, lightly dust the work surface with more flour.
If using a stand mixer, add the four to the mixer bowl, and turn on to low speed. Slowly add the ricotta mixture to the bowl and allow the flour to incorporate. Allow the dough hook to knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes, or until the dough looks smooth.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and dust with semolina flour. This will prepare you to have a place to put the cavatelli as you are rolling them. Once the dough is finished resting, cut off a ½ inch strip from the ball of dough using the bench scraper. Keep the remaining dough covered in plastic when you are not using it so that it doesn’t get dried out. Lightly dust your work surface with semolina flour, making sure not to incorporate too much semolina into the dough. Use your hands to roll the strip of dough into a log about a ½ inch thick. Continue to do this with the remaining dough until it is all shaped into logs.
Using a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough into ½ inch pieces that look like tiny little pillows.
Use the side of your thumb to roll each piece of dough against the gnocchi board (affiliate) forming the textured shells. You can also use the back of a fork or a cheese grater (affiliate) to create the same ridged effect.
Place the cavatelli on the baking sheet as you go along, making sure they are not touching, and that they have a very light dusting of semolina flour on them, otherwise they will stick together. You can place the baking sheets in the refrigerator, covered in plastic for up to 2 days.
To cook the ricotta cavatelli you can boil them for 2-3 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Serve with your choice of sauce and enjoy!
Try my cavatelli cacio e pepe recipe for a very easy weekday meal.
Sauces to pair with ricotta cavatelli
- Pesto
- Tomato sauce with red onions and pancetta (Amatriciana)
- Brown butter with sage
- Gorgonzola cream sauce
- Rabbit ragu
- Beef ragu
- Lamb ragu
Storage
These ricotta cavatelli can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with homemade ricotta cavatelli:
Homemade Ricotta Cavatelli
Equipment
- Kitchen scale that measures in grams as well as ounces
- High-speed blender or food processor
- Bench scraper or sharp knife
- Gnocchi board or cavatelli pasta maker
Ingredients
- 480 grams 2 cups whole-milk ricotta
- 1 egg
- 25 g ¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- 125 grams “00” flour or all-purpose flour
- Few swipes freshly grated nutmeg
- Semolina flour for dusting only
Instructions
- Start by blending the ricotta cheese, egg, salt, and milk together in a high speed blender (affiliate) or food processor until smooth.
- Pour the flour onto a clean work surface and use a fork to make a well about 6-8 inches wide.
- Pour the ricotta mixture into the flour well and start to incorporate the flour into the wet mixture.
- Use the dough scraper to cut the flour into the ricotta until it looks like a shaggy mess.
- Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and dust with semolina flour.
- Cut off a 1 inch strip of dough and roll it with your hands into a ½ inch log. Continue to do this with the rest of the dough.
- Use the bench scraper or sharpie knife to cut the logs into ½ inch pieces that look like tiny pillows.
- Using the side of your thumb, gently press the pieces of dough into the gnocchi board to form the ridges on the outside. Place them on the baking sheets, making sure that they are not touching each other.
- To cook, boil a salted pot of water and add the Cavetelli. Boil until they float to the surface, about 3 minutes.
- Pair with your sauce of choice.
Leave a Reply