CAVATELLI NOODLES RECIPES

Steps:

• Mound semolina flour and salt on a marble countertop or a cutting board/baking sheet. Form a well in the center of the mound.
• Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into the water and swirl together briefly.
• While working the mixture with one hand, gradually drizzle the water mixture into the center of the flour. Continue drizzling and mixing the flour into the water until it is all combined.
• Press the mixture (it will be crumbly) into a ball and knead with the palms of your hands for 6-8 minutes until a smooth elastic dough has formed.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or place in a plastic baggy and let set for 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 4-8 pieces and roll each section into a long rope, about 1/2” in diameter. Keep remaining dough covered while you are working with each section.
• Feed the rope of dough through a pasta machine fitted with a cavatelli attachment (shown here). To form the cavatelli by hand, cut the rope into small sections. Press your finger down into the piece of dough and drag your finger forward - the dough will stretch and the edges will curl over to make a cupped cavatelli shape.
• Leave cavatelli to dry and store in an airtight container.
• Alternately, cook freshly formed cavatelli in a large pot of salted water. Toss with your favorite sauce or butter and freshly chopped herbs.
• There are lots of different types of flour that can be used for pasta dough. All-purpose flour works perfectly well. 00 flour is great if available for a more silky pasta. Semolina flour, as used here, makes a chewier pasta with a bit more body.
• If forming the cavatelli by hand, you will need to roll the dough rope thinner. After practicing with a few pieces of dough, you can adjust the thickness of the rope and the size of the pieces.
• Dust your work surface and the formed pasta with semolina flour to prevent sticking.
• This pasta does not use eggs; it’s formed simply from flour and water - add salt for some seasoning. We added just a touch of olive oil to help bind the dough.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add the chicken, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until starting to crumble, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander and celery seeds (if using), and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the chicken into a small lidded bowl (to retain moisture); cover and set aside.
• Add the carrot, celery, shallot, thyme and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until slicked with fat, 3 minutes. Add the stock (7 cups for a stew-like soup or up to 8 cups for a brothy soup) and bring to a boil over high.
• Add noodles and cook over medium-high until al dente according to package directions. (If the noodles absorb a lot of liquid, add more broth according to taste.) Add the reserved chicken and any accumulated juices and heat until warmed, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls; top with a spoonful of crème fraîche, a fistful of torn herbs and lemon zest.