Homemade Cavatelli
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour sifted
1½ cups water room temperature
1 tsp salt
Extra flour for rolling
Instructions
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 cooked to your liking).
Serve with your favorite sauce.
Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to cook the pasta
1 lb lean ground beef, sirloin (your choice)
4 tsp minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups dry red wine, divided
1 can crushed tomatoes (28-ounce)
1 tbsp tomato paste
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 heavy cream (I used coconut milk & oat milk for dairy free)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the ground sirloin and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and started to brown.
Stir in the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute.
Pour 1 cup of wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste, stirring until combined.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Once finished, add it to the homemade cavatelli or your favorite pasta cooked following instructions from the box!