Ingredients

Procedure

Mix the flour, egg, ricotta and salt. Gradually add more flour until you have a fairly stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured board until it is smooth and no longer sticky. Let it rest for 5 minutes, covered with a bowl.

Divide the dough into four or five small balls and roll each ball into a thin rope (about 1/4" in diameter). Cut the rope into 1/4" pellets and dust them lightly with flour. Using the inside of a cheese grater, roll each pellet against the grater with the tip of your finger. This creates a macaroni shaped like a hollow football with a bumpy exterior from the grater's indentations.

(It takes a little practice and a little patience but my Aunt Mary taught all of us to do this by the time we were 5 years old. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it -- or find a five year old!)

Lightly flour a large tray and put the cavatelli in a single layer to dry slightly.

After about two hours, bring 4 quarts of water (with 1 TB oil and 1 tsp salt) to boil and drop in the cavatelli a few at a time. Boil for approximately 6 minutes.

Drain and serve with any meaty tomato sauce. Or you can just add a pat of butter and some grated romano cheese (we favor Locatelli).

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