Home

Potato Cavatelli

17/11/2023

Potato cavatelli are a typical dish of Italian cuisine, similar to gnocchi but with a slightly different shape. Here is how you can prepare them:

Ingredients

  • 1 kg of potatoes, preferably floury
  • 300 g of “00” flour, plus more for handling
  • 1 egg (optional, some variants do not include it)
  • Salt to taste

Preparation

  1. Start by washing the potatoes and boiling them in salted water until they are tender and easy to pierce with a fork (about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size).
  2. Once cooked, drain them and peel them while they are still hot. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer or vegetable masher to obtain a very fine mash.
  3. Pour the potato mash onto a pastry board and let it cool slightly.
  4. Add the flour, and if you choose to use the egg, add it at this point. Also add a pinch of salt.
  5. Knead all the ingredients until you get a homogeneous and non-sticky mixture. If necessary, add more flour, but be careful not to add too much so as not to make the cavatelli too hard.
  6. Take pieces of dough and form cylinders with a diameter of about 2 cm, then cut the cylinders into pieces about 3 cm in length.
  7. To give the cavatelli their characteristic shape, lightly press each piece with three fingers and drag them towards you on a lightly floured surface to crinkle them.
  8. Arrange the cavatelli on a floured cloth or a baking sheet, trying not to let them touch each other.
  9. Boil a pot of salted water and cook the cavatelli for a few minutes, until they float to the top.
  10. Drain them with a slotted spoon and dress them as you like with your favorite sauce.

Curiosity

Cavatelli are particularly widespread in Southern Italy, especially in Molise and Puglia. Depending on the region, they can also be called “cavateddi” or “cavatieddi” and are often accompanied by simple tomato-based sauces or richer condiments like meat ragù or sausage.

Remember that, since the dish is of Italian origin, I have suggested a classic version. If you would like to personalize the dish, for example, you could add some chopped aromatic herbs to the dough for an extra touch of flavor.

Potato Cavatelli