Cavatelli

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cavatelli (plural) are a type of pasta, typically about 3 cm (1¼ inch) long, with a rolled edge. It is similar in shape to casarecci, but shorter in length. While they are often available frozen in Italian specialty grocers, they are typically homemade in Italian and Italian-American households. In Italy, cavatelli are especially popular in the Avellino province.

Regional pronunciations may vary. For example, some Italian-Americans in the Northeastern U.S. may refer to the pasta as "cuv-va-dill", "gab-a-deel" or "cav-a-dell" or "gav-a-deel" (among other pronunciations) instead of the standard Italian pronunciation for "cavatelli." Such alternate pronunciations have their origin in various Southern Italian dialects.^{[citation needed]}

Cavatelli are sometimes confused with gnocchi, another form of pasta. The shapes are similar, however the main difference being in composition: while cavatelli are normally made of flour, semolina and water, (they can also be made with ricotta cheese in the dough), gnocchi (in their most common form) are made from a softer dough consisting of potatoes and flour.