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CAVATELLI WITH BROCCOLI

  • May 29
  • 2 min read

Garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano

Pasta — Yield: 8 Portions


This is one of those dishes that never leaves you. Growing up, my mother would make cavatelli with broccoli in a way that felt simple, but it always hit exactly right. Garlic, olive oil, a little heat, and the broccoli cooked down just enough to become part of the sauce.



It wasn’t fussy. It wasn’t trying to be anything other than what it was. But that’s exactly why it worked. It’s something she still makes today, and every time I eat it, it brings me right back to the table as a kid. It’s still one of my favorite pastas.


Here’s how I do it.

Cavatelli Dough — 8 Portions

Ingredients

  • 700 g / 1 lb 9 oz 00 flour

  • 300 g / 10.5 oz fine semolina (rimacinata)

  • 450 g / 1 lb ricotta, well drained

  • 8 g / 1.5 tsp fine sea salt

  • 90 g / 6 Tbsp water (adjust as needed)


Method

  1. Drain the ricotta well to remove excess moisture.

  2. Combine the 00 flour, semolina, and salt.

  3. Add the ricotta and mix until the dough starts to come together.

  4. Add water gradually until a smooth dough forms.

  5. Knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth.

  6. Wrap and rest for at least 30 minutes.

  7. Roll into ropes about 1.25 cm / 1/2 inch thick.

  8. Cut into small pieces and shape into cavatelli.


Cavatelli with Broccoli, Garlic & Olive Oil — 8 Portions

Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg / 2 lb 10 oz fresh cavatelli

  • 1.2 kg / 2 lb 10 oz broccoli crowns, cut small

  • 180 ml / 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1.5 to 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

  • 250 g / 2.5 cups Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

  • 120 g / 1.25 cups Pecorino Romano, finely grated

  • 500 to 700 ml / 2 to 3 cups reserved pasta cooking water

  • Fine sea salt


Method

  1. Blanch broccoli in salted boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes until tender but still bright. Remove and reserve. Keep the water.

  2. Cook cavatelli in the same water until just shy of done. Reserve pasta water.

  3. In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook gently without

    browning. Add red pepper flakes.

  4. Add broccoli and a splash of pasta water. Let it soften slightly.

  5. Add pasta and more pasta water. Toss to combine and begin forming a sauce.

  6. Remove from heat. Add cheeses gradually, tossing and adjusting with pasta water until

creamy and smooth.

Assembly & Plating

Plate in warm bowls. The sauce should coat every piece of cavatelli — creamy from the cheese, silky from the olive oil, with the broccoli broken down just enough to become part of the pasta. Finish with a thread of good olive oil.


 
 
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