Handmade Cavatelli Pasta
Ever made your own pasta? Neither had we. So we convinced Marco and Luca to teach us how. Gather your favourite humans and get your hands rolling with this easy and intensely satisfying recipe. Serves 4
CAVATELLI
Ingredients
500g semolina flour
300g luke warm water
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 pinches of salt
Make the dough
Pour the flour into a circular mound on your kitchen bench
Sprinkle the salt onto the flour and use your fingers to create a well in the centre
Slowly add the water and oil to the well, circling your fingers to mix the flour in until it all becomes a dough
Knead the dough firmly with the heel of your hand for 10 minutes
Wrap in cling film and rest for an hour
Shape the cavatelli
Place your dough on a lightly floured bench and roll with a rolling pin until it’s about 5mm thick.
Use a knife to cut it into long verticalstrips, about 3cm wide.
Slice those into 1cm pieces.Place a strip between your palms and lightly roll,
place on a baking sheet, then dust with flour.Allow to dry for 30 minutes.
Cook the pasta
Drop the cavatelli into a large pot of salted boiling water until they float on the surface. Cook until al dente.
NONNA’S TOMATO SAUCE
Ingredients
1kg good quality peeled, tinned roma tomatoes
A dozen cherry tomatoes
1 large red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 medium sized banana shallot
1 long red chilli
1/2 bunch basil, stalks and leaves
A few parsley stalks and fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
To Cook
Set a large, heavy based saucepan on low/medium heat
Heat olive oil and add finely diced onion, garlic, chilli and shallots,
and fresh herbs, and allow to gently carameliseAdd a generous pinch of salt, sugar, and the tinned and cherry tomatoes
Bring to the boil then reduce to low heat, simmering uncovered
for about an hourStir occasionally to prevent the sauce from catching, until all liquid
has evaporatedBlitz with a stick blender or serve as is for a chunkier sauce