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1
Put the flour in the bowl of the food processor, and process for a few seconds, to aerate.
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2
With the food processor running, pour in the water through the feed tube.
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3
Process for about 30 seconds, until a dough forms and gathers on the blade.
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4
If the dough does not gather on the blade or process easily, it is too wet or dry.
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5
Feel the dough, then work in more flour or cold water, in small amounts, using the processor or kneading by hand.
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6
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface, and knead by hand for a minute, until its smooth, soft, and stretchy.
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7
Press it into a disk, wrap well in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for at least 1/2 hour.
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8
(You can refrigerate the dough for up to a day, or freeze for a month or more.
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9
Defrost in the refrigerator, and return to room temperature before rolling.)
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10
To form the cavatelli, lightly flour your work surface.
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11
Pinch off golf-ball-sized pieces of dough, and roll them out under your palms into long ropes about the thickness of a pencil.
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12
Cut the ropes into 1-inch segments or short cylinders; keep pieces in front of you, horizontally (left to right).
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13
Flour your hands, especially the tips of the three middle fingers of your right hand unless you are left-handed.
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14
Hold these fingertips tightly together, and press them into one of the cut segments, and gently roll toward you.
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15
As your fingertips make indentations in the segment, roll it toward you more so the dough both lengthens and curls around the fingertips.
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16
As the curl is complete, lift your fingers up quickly, so the dough segment drops off.
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17
It should now resemble a short concave shellor a hollowed-out boat or canoewith the impression of your fingers in the hollows and along the edges.
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18
Adjust the pressure of your fingers as neededif the dough cylinders are not lengthening and forming a hollow, press harder.
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19
If theyre just flattening beneath your fingers, press a bit more gently.
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20
Once you get up to speed, you should be able to roll the cavatelli with a quick downward flick of your fingertips.
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21
Sprinkle the finished cavatelli liberally with flour, and spread them out in a single layer on floured baking sheets.
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22
Leave them uncovered, to air-dry at room temperature, until ready to cook.
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23
(Or freeze the cavatelli on the sheets until hard, and pack them in airtight plastic bags.)
