Place the sifted flour on a wooden board and make a well in the center.
Add the water and the salt in the center of the well.
Using a fork or a sturdy wooden spoon, combine until a shaggy ball forms. Pull in the flour from the bottom of the well.
With the help of a dough scraper, incorporate the rest of the flour (it may appear to you that there isn't enough water...just keep kneading...magically everything comes together).
Knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough feels sticky, add a little bit of flour. If, on the other hand, the dough feels dry, sprinkle a few drops of water over the dough and continue kneading.
Wrap the dough in cling wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature (I will usually place a tea towel over the top).
Cut the dough into 4 pieces.
Roll out one-quarter of the dough to approximately ¼ inch thick. Make sure your board and rolling pin are floured.
Cut the dough into ¾-1-inch strips. Then, cut each strip into ¼-⅜-inch rectangular pieces.
Alternatively, working with one piece of dough at a time, apply gentle pressure and roll the dough back and forth to create an even log shape. Roll each portion into a thin log shape, ⅜- ½ inch thick. This is about the size of your pinkie finger.Then, using a sharp knife, cut the log into ⅜-½-inch wide pieces. For this step, you can also use a bench scraper or a dough cutter.
Using the index finger, apply a gentle pressure on the dough, dragging it toward you. There should be a slight curl that forms.
Place cavatelli on large baking sheets that are lightly dusted with flour. Place the cavatelli in a single layer and not touching one another.
Continue until all the dough has been formed into cavatelli.
Allow to air dry for at least 30 minutes.
If using immediately, drop in a large pot of salted boiling water for a few minutes. The cavatelli are done when they float to the top. (Try to shake off as much as the flour as possible before boiling them). Taste to make sure they are cooked to your liking.
If freezing, place the tray of cavatelli in the freezer and once frozen, place in plastic bag in the freezer. Can be cooked frozen. (Should take 6-8 minutes to cook. Once they rise to the top, they should be done. Taste to make sure they are cookedto your liking).
Please refer to the article for a detailed description and step-by-step procedure.
Video
Notes
Cavatelli can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.