WHAT IS CAVATELLI?

Cavatelli comes from the verb “cavare” or “to hollow out”. Traditional recipes using this cut focus on vegetables since meat was scarce back then in Puglia.  Over time this pasta, being easy to make, spread quickly throughout homes in Italy.    With its folded, mini bun shape, it is a popular substitute for orecchiette.  Cavatelli is normally not bronze extruded, and so are a friendly cut to use with olive or other oils.

WHERE IS CAVATELLI MADE?

This cut was invented in southern Italy, most likely in Puglia.    The area produces about half of all the olive oil in Italy, so al bronzo pastas won’t be as crucial since oil is a very common recipe ingredient.  The Arab influence after occupying this region for 400 years during the Middle Ages is still felt to this day (the use of nuts, stuffings and pasta being prime examples)!

MEN PREFER A RACK WITH BIG HAIR OR CAVATELLI WITH SAUCE?

Chef Eddie Huang opened up in NYC the celebrated restaurant BaoHaus.  Introducing Taiwanese street-food to mainstream New Yorkers, he wrote a memoir about his life and perspective on the lives of his customers.  “Whether it’s food or women, the ones on front street are supermodels. Big hair, big tits, big trouble, but the one you come home to is probably something like cavatelli and red sauce. She’s not screaming for attention because she knows she’s good enough even if your dumb ass hasn’t figured it out yet.” ― Eddie Huang, Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir

WHAT SAUCES GO WELL WITH CAVATELLI?

Regarding pairing this pasta with broccoli, see our advice in the orecchiette pasta section: aka don’t. Just don’t.  It is a small, sturdy pasta and will hold up well in thick meat or cream dishes.  Also butter is a popular sauce option along with sadly, broccoli, and a citrus (usually lemon) fruit.  If you’d like to see one of our recipes using cavatelli check out pesto sauce recipe!