Spelt and Ricotta Cavatelli

Serves
serves 4-6
Time
1 hour 30 minutes

By SAVEUR Editors

Published on March 18, 2019

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₂ cups spelt flour (11 oz.), plus more for dusting
¹⁄₂ tsp. kosher salt, plus more
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
¹⁄₄ cup olive oil
1 tbsp. rosemary leaves
1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes, preferably Calabrian
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 oz. ground rabbit or pork sausage
4 cups spigarello or spinach, roughly chopped (7 oz.)
³⁄₄ cup chicken stock
¹⁄₂ cup shelled pistachios, toasted
1 (14-oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

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Instructions

Step 1

In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour with the 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the ricotta and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Add the egg and continue to mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 2

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle into 1⁄3-inch strips and then cut each strip into 2-inch pieces. Position each piece of dough lengthwise along the back of a butter knife, and pressing the dough to a gnocchi board, gently scrape the dough towards you so it curls onto itself. Transfer the cavatelli pasta to a lightly floured baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 3

In a 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the rosemary, chile flakes, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the rosemary and garlic are crisp, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the sausage and cook, breaking up into small pieces, until golden brown and cooked through, about 7 minutes. Add the spigarello, stock, pistachios, and beans to the pan and simmer until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds, about 3 minutes. Stir in the butter and remove the skillet from the heat.

Step 4

Meanwhile, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the cavatelli for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the pasta and stir into the sauce along with the cheese and toss until the pasta is completely coated in the sauce. Season the pasta with salt and pepper and serve with more parmesan on the side.

In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour with the 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the ricotta and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Add the egg and continue to mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle into 1⁄3-inch strips and then cut each strip into 2-inch pieces. Position each piece of dough lengthwise along the back of a butter knife, and pressing the dough to a gnocchi board, gently scrape the dough towards you so it curls onto itself. Transfer the cavatelli pasta to a lightly floured baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.
In a 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the rosemary, chile flakes, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the rosemary and garlic are crisp, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the sausage and cook, breaking up into small pieces, until golden brown and cooked through, about 7 minutes. Add the spigarello, stock, pistachios, and beans to the pan and simmer until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds, about 3 minutes. Stir in the butter and remove the skillet from the heat.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the cavatelli for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the pasta and stir into the sauce along with the cheese and toss until the pasta is completely coated in the sauce. Season the pasta with salt and pepper and serve with more parmesan on the side.