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Plated broccoli and cavatelli pasta with cheese.
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Homemade Cavatelli with Broccoli

Easy to make homemade cavatelli with broccoli is a simple yet classic Italian recipe dish. These fresh handmade pasta noodles can be frozen for later use to have on hand at a moments notice.
Course supper
Cuisine Italian
Keyword homemde, cavatelli, classic Italian recipe, pasta dough, broccoli
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 48 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 566kcal
Author Marisa

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or hand held mixer with hook attachment

Ingredients

Cavatelli Dough

  • 400 grams all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • cup hot water from boiled water

Pasta Sauce

  • 4 cups broccoli florets
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling over the finished dish
  • 4 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • fine sea salt to your taste
  • freshly crushed black pepper to your taste
  • 1 tablespoon flour for dusting a rimmed cookie sheet
  • grated cheese of your choice I used a vegan Parmesan cheese *see note below*

Instructions

Make the Cavatelli Pasta

  • Place the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Make a well in the centre and pour in the hot water with the salt.
  • Using a stand mixer with the hook attachment, knead until soft ball forms, for about 8 minutes.
  • Transfer the dough onto a work surface and continue kneading by hand for about a minute while shaping the dough into a round, smooth ball.
  • When you're finished kneading, cover the dough with cling wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
  • The resting time relaxes the gluten in the dough and makes it easier to roll and shape.
  • Sprinkle a rimmed baking sheet with some flour and set aside.
  • Cut the dough into 8 pieces.
  • Working with one piece at a time, while keeping the remaining dough covered, roll the piece out into a pencil-thin rope about 1 cm in diameter.
  • Cut the rope into 2-centimetre pieces.
  • Use a gnocchi board, if you have one, to make the little caves or indentations in the dough.
  • If you don't have a gnocchi board, use your index and middle fingers to press down into the dough and swiping towards you. This will create the distinctive crevice.
  • Transfer the cavatell to your prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

For the Broccoli Pasta Sauce

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil.
  • Salt the water and add in the Cavatelli, stir and add the broccoli florets.
  • Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium low heat.
  • Add in the crushed garlic, pepper flakes and a dash of salt and pepper to your taste.
  • Heat only till the garlic has browned, taking care not to burn the garlic.
  • Drain the pasta and broccoli while reserving some of the pasta water.
  • Add the cooked cavatelli and the broccoli to the pot with the oil and garlic sauce.
  • Toss to mix well and add a ladle or two of the reserved pasta water. Add in as little or as much as needed.
  • Plate and serve with a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of chilli flakes and freshly grated cheese if desired.

Notes

Today you can find "Parmesan style" cheese that is dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan. This is wonderful for those with special diets.
One brand I love, and you may want to try, is "Earth Island" Parmesan-style cheese. (please note that this is not a sponsored post and have not been compensated in any way but rather wanted to share a product I have come to enjoy and love since becoming lactose intolerant)

Nutrition

Calories: 566kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 414mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 641IU | Vitamin C: 82mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 6mg