Cavatelli with Pork Ragù
By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: December 4, 2020
This pork ragù combines tender shoulder pork with sweet Italian sausage in a rich tomato sauce that clings beautifully to ridged cavatelli. It’s a comforting, hearty dish that works any time of year but is particularly welcome on cold nights.
There are few pleasures as satisfying as a bowl of pasta with a slow-cooked ragù. In colder months I often have a pot simmering on the stove, filling the house with inviting aromas. This version is generous, meaty and perfect with fresh hand-rolled cavatelli.
It’s featured in the site’s Italian and pasta recipe collections for anyone looking for more traditional Italian dishes.
What’s Ahead?
What is Cavatelli?
Cavatelli are an eggless wheat pasta traditionally made with semola or durum wheat and water. The dough is rolled into small oblong pieces and shaped into little shells or hollows that trap sauce. They can be ridged or smooth, large or small, but their purpose is the same: to hold and enhance the sauce they’re served with.
You can use dried cavatelli, but making them at home is simple and satisfying. The shaping process is quick and very therapeutic.
Why it works?
This ragù works because of its depth of flavour and slow cooking. The combination of pork shoulder and sweet sausage creates richness and texture, while slow simmering melds the tomatoes, spices and meat into a satisfying, savory sauce that clings to cavatelli.
Let’s start with the ragù. Use two types of pork: a well-marbled shoulder cut for tenderness when slow-cooked, and sweet Italian sausage for added flavor. Shoulder gives soft, juicy chunks; the sausage brings fat and seasoning that infuse the sauce.
Good-quality tomatoes matter. I prefer whole San Marzano tomatoes for their balanced sweetness and low acidity. Cheap, overly acidic canned tomatoes can give a metallic tang to a long-simmered sauce. Break the tomatoes up in the pan and add a little water or stock to create the simmer.
What makes a good ragù? Besides quality ingredients, time is the key. Slow, gentle simmering develops texture and flavor in a way pressure cooking can’t fully replicate. The meat becomes tender, the sauce more complex, and the sausage softens to a luscious consistency. If you can allow the time, slow cooking rewards you.
How to roll homemade Cavatelli pasta
If you decide to make cavatelli, you’ll only need semola flour and water. Mix the flour with enough water to form a workable dough, then knead for 10–15 minutes. Rest the dough for 20–30 minutes before shaping.
Roll a quarter of the dough into a 3mm-thick oblong. Cut into strips about two finger-widths, then slice those into pieces roughly 10mm wide. Use a gnocchi board or a ridged surface to press and drag each piece with two fingers; the pasta curls into a little shell that traps sauce. Dust the shaped cavatelli generously with semola to prevent sticking and cover with a towel. They keep for up to 3–4 hours in a cool, dry place, or can be refrigerated for longer.
To cook, boil cavatelli in salted water for 2–3 minutes until they float. Reserve a little cooking water, drain, then toss the pasta with the ragù to coat. Serve with chunks of the braised pork and sausage on top and a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Ready to get cooking?
This recipe celebrates simple Italian cooking: a few quality ingredients transformed by time and technique into a deeply satisfying meal. Enjoy!
When you’re ready to serve, plate the pasta, spoon extra ragù on top, add some meat pieces, and finish with freshly grated Parmigiano. This yields a hearty, authentic Italian plate that feels both rustic and refined.
More delicious Italian recipes
If you enjoy this ragù, explore other Italian recipes for more inspiration and comforting meals.
Any Questions? (FAQ)
Have a question about Cavatelli? Leave a comment and I’ll help.
What are cavatelli?
Cavatelli are small pasta shells from Southern Italy, made from flour and water. Their ridged hollow shape makes them excellent at holding sauces like tomato ragù, pesto or creamy cheese sauces.
What is ragù?
Ragù is a slow-simmered, meat-based Italian sauce made with meat, vegetables, tomatoes and seasonings. Slow cooking develops deep, concentrated flavors perfect for pairing with pasta.
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Cavatelli with Pork Ragù
Ingredients
- 1.9 lb pork shoulder (900g), cut into large chunks
- 2 Italian sausages, each cut into 4 pieces
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 tsp ground clove
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 x 24 oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes
For the pasta
- 3 cups semola flour
- Water, as needed
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pan over moderate heat. Add onion, garlic and fennel seeds and fry 2–3 minutes until soft. Push onions to the side and add pork and sausage; brown on all sides for 4–5 minutes. Pour in the wine and let it sizzle 1–2 minutes to burn off alcohol.
- Add clove, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, salt and sugar and stir.
- Add the whole tomatoes, break them up with a spoon, add about three-quarters of the tomato can in water, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to low, cover and simmer gently for 2½ hours. Remove the lid and cook a further 30 minutes to reduce.
To make the pasta
- Tip flour into a bowl or onto a work surface. Make a well and add water (start with about 3/4 cup). Combine, adding water a little at a time until a workable dough forms. Knead 10–15 minutes until smooth. Wrap and rest 20–30 minutes.
- Cut a portion of dough and roll into a 3mm thick oblong. Cut into strips about two finger-widths, then into pieces roughly 10mm wide.
- Using a gnocchi board or flat surface, place a piece of dough, press with two fingers and drag toward you; the piece will curl into a cavatelli shape. Repeat with remaining dough. Dust with semola and cover; allow to rest up to 4 hours in a cool, dry place.
Arranging the dish
- Cook cavatelli in salted boiling water for 2–3 minutes until they float. Reserve some pasta water, drain and return to the pan. Spoon in ragù to coat, adding a little pasta water if needed. Serve in bowls topped with pieces of meat and sausage and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
This ragù improves with time. If possible, make it a day or two ahead and gently reheat—the flavors deepen and the sauce becomes even better.