Cavatelli with Eggless Pasta Dough
Although I prefer a pasta dough with egg, this recipe is delicious and best when forming certain shapes by hand. The addition of semolina gives the pasta dough more structure and a more rustic texture. The dough is easily rolled and shaped without falling apart on you. I like this recipe when making cavatelli and orecchiette.
Tips:
To check to see if you have kneaded the dough long enough, use a finger to poke the dough leaving an indent. If the dough bounces back it is ready to rest.
Humidity and heat affect how much water you will need. Slowly add more if your dough is too dry.
The dough doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth to be ready. It is more important that it bounces back when you poke it.
Eggless Pasta
Makes 1 1/2 pounds
PREP 45 minutes
COOK 3-5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 cup semolina flour, very finely milled
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Up to 1 cup warm water
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the flours and salt in a large bowl.
Make a well in the middle and slowly add the water, mixing the dough with a fork.
After 1/2 cup of water is added, turn the dough onto your countertop and start to knead the dough. Add more water as needed, keeping in mind that the longer you knead the dough the more the flour will absorb the water and get smoother.
You may not need all the water. If you have a sticky dough, add a little bit of flour until you have a soft dough that isn’t sticky.
Remove any crumbs from the surface and start to knead the dough. This process can take up to 8 minutes. Use the heel of your hand to roll the dough out and fold it back. Keep rotating the dough. The dough is done with it’s elastic and smooth.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Working the dough too early will have it shrink back on you.
You will work the dough in abut 6 different stages. Cut off a lemon size ball of dough, wrapping the other dough that is still resting. Roll the dough into a log, 1/2” wide. Using a sharp knife cut off 1/8” slices. I like to rotate the log as I cut to keep the round shape.
Cavatelli- Once you have cut the log then use a butter knife to drag the dough on a wooden surface thinning it out and creating a channel in the dough. If you have a pasta board you can use that to make ridges on the cavatelli which will not only look pretty, but collect sauce.
Orecchiette- Place a disk of pasta dough on a wooden board. Dip your thumb in flour and press your thumb into the center, creating a 1” circle. Rotate your thumb to help make that cup shape, slightly thicker on its edges. Watch video on how to make here.
Either shape can be cooked in salted water immediately for about 3-5 minutes or laid out on clean towels to dry for at least 24 hours. Rotate the pasta a few times as it dries to ensure it’s completely dried before storing it. Dried pasta will last at least a month in your pantry.