Fresh Cavatelli with Favas

Name: Fresh Cavatelli with Favas
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 4 pounds fresh fava beans in the pods; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the pasta pot; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups); 4 plump garlic cloves, crushed and peeled; 1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste; 1 batch (1 1/2 pounds) Fresh Cavatelli (page 275), or 1 pound dried pasta; 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino; 6-to-8-ounce chunk ricotta salata; A large pasta pot; a heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch diameter or larger; a hand grater with large shredding holes (a flat, box, or rotary grater); a wire strainer

December 9, 2011

In this dish, the cavatelli are dressed with a sauce of fresh fava beans, always a great treat in season. Another special ingredient here is ricotta salata, or salted ricotta, a marvelous product made from fresh sheep’s-milk ricotta that is pressed, dried, and aged for a few months, until fairly firm, retaining the mild, milky taste of fresh ricotta yet with more complexity. It is a traditional accompaniment to fresh favas—a delicious pairing you will taste here—but ricotta salata is a great final seasoning on many other pastas as well. As I instruct in this recipe, ricotta salata is best grated on top of the pasta just before you serve it. Put a chunk of it on the table with the grater, and let people shower on more ricotta salata as they dig deeper into their bowls.

Recipe notes

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