Homemade 8-Finger Cavatelli

* Exported from MasterCook *

Homemade 8-Finger Cavatelli

Recipe By : Chef Augie Arifi
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Italian Pasta

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 lb ricotta cheese -- strained
1 egg
pinch salt
pinch pepper
1/2 lb flour

Method:
Place ricotta and egg with salt and pepper in a large bowl. With a fork, beat
egg and cheese until well combined. Place flour on a flat, smooth work
surface
(preferably wood). Create a small well in middle of flour. Pour cheese-egg
mixture into well.

Draw some of the flour over the well, mixing it in with a fork a little at a
time until egg mixture is no longer runny. Draw the sides of the mound
together with your hands. Work the mixture together with your fingers and
palms until it is smooth and well intergrated.

Continue to knead the dough by hand until it is smooth. If dough seems too
moist, just add a little more flour. At this point, pull away small balls of
dough about the size of a nickel. Pull away about 10 at a time and cover
remaining dough with plastic wrap.

Place a dough ball in the palm of one hand and flatten with the other. Roll
out dough, moving hands in opposite directions until it is roughly 3-inches
long and about 1/4-inch thick. Place on a towel. Repeat process with
remainder of dough. Be careful not to overlap the cavatelli. Allow pasta to
dry for at least 10 minutes. Sprinkle with flour to keep individual pieces
from sticking.

Store in a cool, dry place until ready to use, up to 24 hours. To freeze
leftover pasta for future use, sprinkle liberally with flour, place in a
plastic bag and seal.

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NOTES : Flour them and put on a cookie sheet to initially freeze, then sieve
off excess flour before putting in a bag.

IMPORTANT to cook in small batches. They may be cooked frozen, when the float
to the top cook a few seconds more then remove.