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Pasta/Rice


16 ounces whole-milk ricotta, drained of excess water
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the surface

Combine the ricotta, eggs and salt in a large bowl, then stir into the flour. Gently combine with your hands to bring together into a dough. Knead the dough together, adding additional flour until the dough is firm and not sticky. Tightly wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Cut the dough into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time, roll the dough on a lightly-floured surface into a 1/4-inch-thick rope. With a knife, cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Use a bench scraper or your index and third fingers held together to gently press down on each piece, beginning at the top and moving down toward the bottom, dragging the bench scraper toward you and causing the pasta to roll over on itself. Transfer the formed pasta to a lightly-floured baking sheet and let dry at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. (At this point, the pasta can be frozen in a single layer and stored in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer.)

to cook, bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until the cavatelli are al dente and begin to float to the top, 3 to 5 minutes.

The dough will seem dry when it is first mixed--don't be tempted to add more liquid! The flour needs to hydrate for at least 30 minutes, at which point the dough relaxes and softens. The rested pasta dough should be firm and cold before rolling to hold the best shape when cut.

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