Cavatelli ([1] [2] [3] pronounced as /it/; Italian for 'little hollows') are small pasta shells made from semolina or other flour dough,[4] [5] commonly cooked with garlic and broccoli or rapini broccoli rabe, or simply with tomato sauce. A variant adds ricotta cheese to the dough mix.[5] Another variant with seafood is very popular in seaside cities and villages.
Many varieties and local names of cavatelli exist, including gnocchetti, manatelli, orecchie di prete,[6] strascinati, truoccoli; capunti, cingule, minuich, rascatelli, zinnezinne (Basilicata); cantaroggini, cavatieddi, cecatelli/cicatelli, cecatidde, cortecce (Salerno),[7] mignuicchi, strascenate, tagghjunghele (Apulia and Campania); pincinelle (Marche); cavatielle, 'ncatenate, cazzarille, ciufele (Molise); cavasuneddi, cavatuneddi, gnucchitti, gnocculi (Sicily), and pizzicarieddi (Apulia).[6]
A particular variety of cavatelli is typical of the comune (municipality) of Teggiano, in Campania, where they are referred to as parmitieddi. Parmitieddi are larger than cavatelli and flat-shaped. They are obtained by rolling a stick dough with three fingers of one hand, instead of with a single finger as done for the common cavatelli. Parmitieddi are usually served as a first course on Palm Sunday because their shape, similar to that of a tree leaf, recalls that of a palm.[6]