Cavatelli with ricotta sauce and pangritata
Make your own cavatelli pasta to serve with this creamy ricotta and spinach sauce.
Ingredients
For the cavatelli
For the ricotta sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú baby spinach
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú ricotta
- 2 free-range eggs, beaten
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú Parmesan, grated
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú pecorino cheese, grated
- 1 bunch fresh basil, finely chopped
- freshly ground black pepper
For the pangritata
- 1 tsp finely chopped whole dried red chilli
- 1 lemon, fine zest only
- 3 tbsp fried breadcrumbs
Method
To make the cavatelli, mix the salt and flour together in a bowl and slowly mix in 150ml/5fl oz water. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Leave to rest for 1 hour, covered in the fridge.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out into a long thin sausage shape. Cut into small 2.5cm/1in pieces and, using two fingers or a butter knife, press and roll each piece into shape, leaving a hollow middle.
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the pasta shapes and cook for 4–5 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and reserve the cooking water.
Meanwhile, to make the ricotta sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic for 1 minute. Add the spinach, season with black pepper and cook until wilted. Mix the ricotta, eggs, Parmesan and pecorino together in a bowl. Add the cooked pasta to the spinach mixture in the pan and pour in some pasta cooking water. Turn the heat off and add the ricotta mixture. Stir continuously to thicken the sauce and add the basil.
To make the pangritata, mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
Serve the ricotta cavatelli in warmed bowls and top with the pangritata.