Molise · Campobasso
Cavatelli al ragù molisano
Molise cavatelli with pork ragù
Hand-rolled semolina cavatelli in a slow tomato ragù of pork ribs and sausage, the Sunday pasta of Molise.
- Course
- Primo piattoPasta & rice
- Serves
- 4
- Hands-on
- 1 h 16 min
- Cooking
- 2 h 5 min
- Resting
- 45 min+
La provenienza
Where this recipe comes from
Cavatelli — ‘cavatiell’ in dialect — are shaped by dragging small pieces of dough with two or three fingers, leaving a hollow that holds the sauce. Around Campobasso the dough is just durum semolina and water; elsewhere in Molise an egg is sometimes added.
The classic dressing is a ragù in which pork ribs and sausage cook slowly in tomato until the meat falls off the bone; it is served as a second course afterwards. Some villages use pork liver sausage and chilli instead. There is no official recipe.
- Provenance
- Documented traditionA regional tradition documented in cookbooks and local practice, with no single official text.
- Defined by
- Molisan tradition
- Reference
- Sunday family meal
Ingredienti
Ingredients
For the cavatelli
For the ragù
Equipment
- Heavy casserole with a lid, for the ragù
- Wooden board for shaping the cavatelli
- Bench knife or sharp knife
- Large pot for the pasta
Preparazione
Method
About 3 hours: start the ragù first — it needs 2–2½ hours — and make the cavatelli while it simmers.
- 1 h 16 minhands-on
- 2 h 5 mincooking
- 45 minresting, at least
The ragù
-
Hands-on 10 minHeat medium-high
Heat the oil in the casserole over medium-high heat and brown the ribs and sausage on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Check A deep brown colour on every side.
-
Hands-on 8 minHeat medium
Lower the heat, add the chopped onion and soften it for 5 minutes. Pour in the red wine and let it evaporate, about 3 minutes.
-
Cooking 2 h – 2 h 30 minHeat low — a lazy bubble
Add the passata, a glass of water (about 250 ml) and the chilli, if using. Bring to a simmer, cover with the lid ajar and cook on low heat for 2–2½ hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Season with salt at the end.
Check The rib meat comes away from the bone at a touch and the sauce is thick and dark red.
The cavatelli
-
Hands-on 5 min
Heap the semolina, make a well and add the warm water (about 40 °C) little by little, drawing in the semolina until it comes together.
-
Hands-on 10 min
Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and firm.
Check Smooth, firm and not sticky. If it cracks, wet your hands and keep kneading.
-
Rest 30 min
Wrap it and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
-
Hands-on 40 min
Cut off a piece of dough and roll it into a rope about 1 cm thick. Cut it into pieces of 2 cm. Press each piece with two or three fingers and drag it towards you on the wooden board, so it curls into a hollow shell.
Check A hollow, curled shell with a slightly rough outside.
Tip The wooden board matters: its grip makes the pasta curl and gives it the rough surface that holds the sauce.
-
Rest 15–30 min
Spread the cavatelli on a tray dusted with semolina and leave them for 15–30 minutes.
Cooking and serving
-
Cooking 5–7 min
Cook them in plenty of salted water (about 10 g per litre) for 5–7 minutes after they rise to the surface.
Check Tender with a firm bite — fresh semolina pasta stays slightly chewy.
-
Hands-on 3 min
Lift the meat out of the ragù and keep it warm. Toss the drained cavatelli with the sauce for a minute and serve with grated pecorino or caciocavallo. Serve the meat afterwards as a second course.
The essentials, for cooks who know the dish. Switch to Detailed for quantities, temperatures, times and checks at every step.
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Errori comuni
Common mistakes
- Rolling the dough too soft — the cavatelli lose their shape in the water.
- Rushing the ragù: the ribs need the long, slow cooking.
Fuori dall'Italia
Cooking it outside Italy
- Use fine semolina (semola rimacinata); coarse semolina makes a gritty dough.
