Directions
Make Your Dough
In a mixing bowl, combine semolina flour, 1 cup of warm water and up to 1 tablespoon of olive oil (optional). Blend together using a wooden spoon, spatula or your hands. The dough will have the clumpy consistency of wet sand. If the dough seems too dry and not all the semolina flour can be worked in, add in 1-2 tablespoons of warm water until it just comes together. The drier dough is necessary for shaping and forming your pasta.
Prefer using a food processor? This dough comes together with a few short pulses.
Knead and Rest
Transfer your dough to a clean work surface (ideally wood, see notes above). Knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and firm. Cover loosely with a tea towel (for high humidity) or loosely with plastic wrap and a tea towel for normal and lower humidity and let rest for 20 minutes.
Divide Your Dough
Using a bench scraper or knife divide your dough into 6 portions. Work with one portion at a time leaving the rest covered. If dough starts to dry out, re-cover and work with a different piece.
Shaping Cavatelli
Roll the dough into a ½” rope (if rope gets too long or unwieldy, divide and re-cover the section not in use). Using a bench scraper or knife cut rope into ½” pieces.
Using your pasta board and working with one piece at a time, press your thumb into the near side of the dough and push/roll it away from you until it fully rolls over and has deep ridges on the outside and is hollow on the inside. Repeat for all pieces. Store finished shapes uncovered on a semolina or flour dusted baking sheet while you work.
Cook (or Store)
Boil in salted water for five minutes or until all peices float. To store: Freeze on your baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag or container. Cooks from frozen in 5-6 minutes.
