Ricotta & Spinach Cavatelli Recipe

Prepare Dough

In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, grated Parmigiano, egg, salt and pepper until mostly smooth. Fold in 1 cup of the flour and stir until a sticky dough forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gradually knead in the remaining flour (up to the full 2 cups) until you have a soft, slightly tacky but manageable dough — about 2 to 3 minutes of light kneading. Do not overwork.

Portion and Shape

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Keep the pieces you are not shaping covered with a towel to prevent drying. Working with one piece at a time, roll into a 1/2-inch diameter rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut the rope into 3/4-inch pieces. To form cavatelli: press each piece with the tines of a fork or roll each short piece along a gnocchi board or back of a fork with your thumb to create a small hollow/indentation. Place formed cavatelli on a lightly floured baking sheet in a single layer. Repeat with remaining dough.

Rest

Let the shaped cavatelli rest, uncovered, at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before cooking. This helps them hold shape and reduces sticking when boiling.

Brown Sausage

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan or shallow Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage (broken up with a spoon) and cook until nicely browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving rendered fat in the pan. If there is excessive fat, spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon.

Vegetables & Aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the pan and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to caramelize and remove raw edge.

Build the Sauce

Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the 1/2 cup stock, scrape up any browned bits from the pan, and stir to combine. Return the browned sausage to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 12–15 minutes to concentrate flavors, stirring occasionally.

Add Spinach and Finish

Add the chopped baby spinach in batches, stirring until wilted. Stir in the heavy cream and torn basil. Taste and season with the 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (adjust to preference). Simmer another 2–3 minutes until sauce is glossy and slightly thickened. Keep warm over the lowest heat while you cook the pasta.

Cook Cavatelli

Bring a large pot of salted water (about 1 tbsp salt per 4–6 quarts) to a rolling boil. Add the fresh cavatelli in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fresh cavatelli will cook quickly — 2 to 4 minutes — and will float when done. Remove with a slotted spoon or drain briefly, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Combine with Sauce

Add the drained cavatelli to the sausage ragu in the sauté pan. Toss gently to coat, adding up to 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta. Cook together over low heat 1–2 minutes so flavors marry.

Finish & Serve

Stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and, if desired, a teaspoon of olive oil for shine. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. Divide among plates and garnish with additional grated cheese and torn basil leaves if desired.