Cavatelli e Fagioli Molisani
Hand-rolled semolina cavatelli pasta stirred through tender simmered beans with garlic, chilli, and olive oil. Known in dialect as cavatiéll e fasciuól.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 490 kcal
Equipment
- •large heavy-bottomed pot
- •wooden pasta board
- •slotted spoon
- •chef's knife
- •large saucepan
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 490 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 74 g
- fibre
- 9 g
- protein
- 16 g
- calories
- 490 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Tip the semolina onto a wooden board and form a wide well in the centre.
- 2
Pour warm water into the well gradually, drawing in flour until a dough forms.
- 3
Knead the dough firmly for ten minutes until completely smooth and pliable.
- 4
Cover the dough with an upturned bowl and rest for twenty minutes.
- 5
Roll small portions of dough into finger-thick ropes and cut into one-centimetre nuggets.
- 6
Drag two fingertips firmly across each nugget to curl it into a hollow shell.
- 7
Warm olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-low heat with garlic, chilli, rosemary, and bay leaf.
- 8
Add the cooked beans and their reserved cooking broth once the garlic turns pale golden.
- 9
Simmer gently for fifteen minutes, crushing a third of the beans with a wooden spoon to thicken.
- 10
Cook the cavatelli in boiling salted water for three minutes until they float to the surface.
- 11
Transfer the pasta directly into the bean pot using a slotted spoon.
- 12
Stir continuously over low heat for two minutes until the rich starchy sauce coats every hollow.
Chef's tips
Crushing a portion of the beans against the wall of the pot creates the traditional velvety sauce without needing any cream or thickeners. Always retain the bean cooking liquid to adjust the moisture as the cavatelli absorb liquid rapidly.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh homemade cavatelli → dried durum wheat cavatelli, boiled according to packet directions before finishing in the pot
- cooked cannellini beans → cooked borlotti beans or local tondino beans
Storage
Keep cooled leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat, adding a splash of hot water to loosen the starch.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Discarding the bean cooking liquid, which strips the dish of essential starches needed for a rich sauce.
- •Rolling the pasta ropes too thick, which leaves the cavatelli unpleasantly dense and chewy after cooking.
- •Browning the garlic too aggressively, resulting in an acrid bitterness throughout the delicate bean pot.
Serving suggestions
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