The great thing about ricotta cavatelli is that it’s incredibly easy to make. It only takes a few ingredients, and you don’t need any special equipment. A ridged cavatelli (or gnocchi) board is a nice plus, but definitely not required—you can just as easily use the prongs of a fork to give them that signature ridged texture.
These little cavatelli go beautifully with just about any sauce. I made these to go with a ragù bianco (recipe coming soon!) and it was phenomenal. But they’re just as good with a simple pomodoro sauce, classic basil pesto, ragù bolognese, or a quick brown butter and sage sauce. Sauce them up however you like!
You only need a few ingredient to make these ricotta cavatelli. They’re absolutely delicious with the ricotta added to the dough. The dough is tender and easy to work with, so if you haven’t tried making homemade pasta before, this is a great recipe to start with.
Ingredients for Ricotta Cavatelli
You only need a few ingredient to make these ricotta cavatelli. They’re absolutely delicious with the ricotta added to the dough. The dough is tender and easy to work with, so if you haven’t tried making homemade past before, this is a great recipe to start with.
- 15 oz ‘00’ flour (about 425g) – ’00’ flour is ideal, but all-purpose works just fine. The extra finely milled ’00’ flour makes for a super delicate cavatelli when cooked, but they will still be absolutely delicious with good quality all-purpose flour.
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta – You want full-fat, whole milk ricotta for this. If you have very wet ricotta you want to make sure to strain it to remove the excess moisture. Otherwise the dough will be too wet and sticky. Add your ricotta to a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and let it sit for at least 20 minutes, but an hour would be better.
- 2 eggs – Large or extra large eggs work for this.
- salt – You’ll need to make sure to season the cavatelli dough with a generous pinch of salt.
Want to go all out? Try making your own homemade fresh ricotta cheese. A little over the top, but hey, why not?!
How to Make Cavatelli
This ricotta cavatelli recipe is a great pasta to make at home. The dough is very easy to work with, and the rustic shape of the cavatelli is very forgiving. They don’t need to be perfect! Plus, you don’t need any special equipment, but a ridged board or fork to create that signature ribbed texture.
- Make the Cavatelli Dough
Dump your flour onto a clean work surface and make a large well in the center. Add in the strained ricotta, eggs, and a generous pinch of salt. Use your hands or a fork to gradually incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead until smooth, should take about 5 minutes. - Let The Dough Rest
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or cover with an inverted bowl. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and makes the dough easier to roll out. - Shape those Cavatelli
Roll your dough out until it’s about 1/2-inch thick, then slice it into long strips. Cut each strip into small pieces about 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. Larger pieces will make bigger cavatelli. Drag each piece of dough over a wooden cavatelli board (or gnocchi board) using your thumb or fingertips. No board? Just roll each piece over the prongs of a fork to get those signature ridges.* Repeat with the remaining dough and dust the shaped cavatelli lightly with flour to prevent them from sticking.
*I have some instructions and images on how to use a fork to create the ribbed texture over on my Potato Gnocchi Recipe
Cook or Freeze
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cavatelli and cook until they float and are tender. Should only take a few minutes.
To freeze:
Arrange the shaped cavatelli on a floured baking sheet in a single layer. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. And you can cook them straight from frozen. They’ll just take an extra minute or two.
Quick Tips for the Best Ricotta Cavatelli
- Strain your ricotta well to avoid sticky dough.
- Use a full-fat, whole milk ricotta for these cavatelli. You want the added richness from the milkfat.
- Use ‘00’ flour for a smooth, tender texture—but all-purpose works too.
- Don’t overwork the dough; just knead until it’s smooth and well combined.
- Freeze extra pasta for quick, easy dinners later on. Cook them right from frozen!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I freeze my homemade cavatelli?
Place the shaped cavatelli on a floured sheet pan and freeze until solid. Once they’re frozen, transfer to an airtight bag. No need to thaw—just boil straight from the freezer.
What sauce goes with ricotta cavatelli?
Honestly, cavatelli go great with just about any sauce. A simple tomato sauce is great, classic basil pesto, a brown butter sage sauce, or even a classic Ragu Bolognese. The ridges on the cavatelli helps sauce cling to the pasta. So good!
I recently made these to go along with a Ragu Bianco or White Bolognese (recipe coming soon!) and it was absolutely fantastic.
More Homemade Pasta Recipes to Try
Homemade Pasta Guide – This is your guide to making fresh pasta at home. Flour and eggs create a delicious fresh tagliatelle pasta, but you can use it as a base for fresh lasagna noodles, papardelle, ravioli, tortellini and more.
Ricotta Agnolotti – These homemade agnolotti, or ‘pillows’ are a delicious stuffed pasta, filled with fresh ricotta, parmesan, and a touch of nutmeg.
Homemade Potato Gnocchi – Learn how to make homemade potato gnocchi from scratch with this foolproof recipe. Just two ingredients needed for these light, pillowy Italian dumplings.
Hand-rolled Pinci Pasta – A recipe for how to make homemade pinci (or pici) pasta. The classic thick noodle from Montalcino.
Homemade Garganelli Pasta – Small, ridged tubes that are perfectly paired with an asparagus, grilled lemon, Parmesan and pepper sauce.
Hand-Shaped Trofie Pasta – Learn ow to make trofie al pesto: a classic Ligurian dish featuring hand-rolled pasta tossed in vibrant, homemade basil pesto.
Homemade Tortellini – How to make homemade tortellini stuffed with kabocha squash and ricotta cheese and topped with a sage, brown butter and hazelnut sauce.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you make these Ricotta Cavatelli? Leave a comment and star-review below with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I can’t wait to see it!
Ricotta Cavatelli Recipe
Equipment
- Ridged Pasta Board *optional
Ingredients
- 15 oz '00' flour (425g) or all-purpose flour
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta (425g) strained
- 2 eggs
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Dump flour onto work surface and make a well in the center. Add your strained ricotta, eggs and a fat pinch of salt.
- Use a fork or your hands to gradually mix the flour into the wet ingredients until a dough starts to form. Knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and well combined.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or cover with an inverted bowl. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
- Roll dough out to 1/2" thick and slice into long strips. Cut each stripe into smaller portions, aim for about 1/4 - 1/2". Bigger chunks, bigger cavatelli. Totally your choice here.
- To create a ridges texture, drag each piece of dough over a wooden cavatelli (or gnocchi) board to shape each individual cavatello. (If you don't have a ridged board, you can roll them over the prongs on a fork). Repeat for the remaining dough.
- Cook your cavatelli in salted boiling water until they float and are tender—should only take a few minutes.
- Or, freeze them on a floured baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a bag for longer storage.
Video
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I’d love to see how you made it your own!
