To make the cavatelli
3 cups (plus a little more if/as needed) organic semolina
salt to taste
1 ¼ cups water (plus a little extra, if/as needed)
For the baked tomato sauce
1 lb fresh cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pinch of sugar
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 whole or lightly smashed clove of garlic
1 Italian dried red chili pepper or pinch of dried chili flakes
3 ½ oz mozzarella, diced
fresh basil leaves, to taste, torn at just the last minute
Mix the semolina and salt in a bowl, then add the water slowly and knead with your hands until the semolina has absorbed all the liquid.
Place the dough on a work surface. Fold it 3-4 times then let it rest for 10 minutes.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut a piece about the size of a large walnut or a small lemon. Roll it out into a rope-like strip about ¼ inch thick, then cut into pieces about ½ inch long.
The unique shape is made by taking a piece of dough and, using your thumb, press and drag the dough forward: the dough will curl, creating a handmade cavatello.
Repeat until the dough is all used, remembering to sprinkle the worktop with a little semolina from time to time to prevent the cavatelli from sticking. Place each one carefully on a tray, and when finished, set aside while you make the sauce.
Place the cherry tomatoes in a pan, season with salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar and a tablespoon of olive oil.
Bake at 350-375°F for 30 minutes.
Place half of the roasted tomatoes in a blender and whirl to puree until it forms a smooth sauce.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet with the garlic and chili pepper for a minute or so. When the garlic is golden, add the pureed tomato sauce, season with a pinch of salt and cook for five minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan of water until boiling, then add salt and the cavatelli.
Halfway through cooking – about 2 minutes – drain and keep some of the pasta water aside.
Add the half-cooked cavatelli to the sauce in the skillet, and heat together for a minute or two, adding a ladle of the hot pasta water as you do, then add the diced mozzarella and basil.
Pour onto a platter, spoon the reserved roasted cherry tomatoes over it, and serve with love.
Cavatelli, originally from the Molise region, are perhaps the oldest cut of pasta in Italy. Originally from the Molise region, they are dumpling-like shapes, much like small gnocchi, prepared by hand using organic durum wheat semolina. It is not known exactly when this fresh pasta was first made, but it was already present on the tables of Southern Italy, the cradle of culture and history, during the reign of Frederick II, Duke of Swabia in 1200.
The Italian term indicates their “hollow” shape, a pasta that is chewy yet has a pocket inside that collects whichever delicious ragu and sauce you might toss it with.
This is a classic recipe for the cavatelli, a recipe handed down for centuries. Tossed in a roasted cherry tomato sauce, with mozzarella and basil, it tastes of the very essence of Southern Italy.