Sourdough Cavatelli (Hand-Shaped Shell Noodles)
Sourdough cavatelli — small hand-pressed shells made from a soft discard dough and a ridged board or fork. A fun, pinty Italian shape that holds sauce in its little boat.
By Maya Ellison · Updated August 21, 2026 · 1 min read
Sourdough cavatelli is the sauce-holding shell of the hand-pasta family — little curled boats with ridges from a fork or a ridged board, made soft and tangy by your starter. It's a gentle, almost playful shape, and one of the best beginner entries into shaped fresh pasta.
The shape that grabs sauce
A cavatelli is made by dragging a short piece of dough down and over itself with pressure so it curls into a boat with textured ridges. Those ridges are the whole game: they catch olive oil, ragù or a tomato in every fold. It's the shape that makes the sauce reach further.
The hand motion
Roll short little ropes, cut them into pieces the size of a large olive, and press each one down and over a ridged surface or the back of a fork so the dough folds into a shell. It feels fiddly until it clicks into a rhythm, and then it's one of the most soothing, satisfying shapes you'll make. The confident little ridges are the whole secret of the shape.
With sourdough in the dough
Fresh discard or active starter in the same 3-ingredient pasta dough gives the shells a gentle tang and helps them hold their curl through the boil. Made from the same starting point as every hand shape, hand-rolled pici reaches them in two quiet moves.
A quick, honest finish
Boil cavatelli 4-6 minutes, or freeze the tray and it'll wait almost forever. Toss with a garlicky butter, a juicy tomato sauce or a rich ragù — the small ridges will drink it all in.
Ingredients
Weights in grams are the source of truth; cup measures are approximate.
- 250 g Italian 00 flour
- 2 large eggs (about 100 g), beaten
- 100 g sourdough starter, active or fresh discard
- about 30-40 g water, warm
- 1 tsp fine salt
- Semolina, for dusting
Method
Whisk the eggs, starter and salt, then work in the flour and water into a soft, pliable—not sticky—dough. Rest 15 minutes, knead until smooth.
Divide into small ropes about 1 cm thick and cut into short pillows of dough (about the size of a large olive).
Press each pillow against a floured, ridged surface — a wooden ridged board, the back of a fork, or a fluted plate — and drag it downward so it folds over into a little curled boat.
Toss with semolina, dust and set on a floured board. The shells can sit at room temp a few hours, or freeze on a tray for a month.
Boil 4-6 minutes until al dente; the shells float as they near done. Toss with butter, garlic and Parmesan, or a ragu.
Frequently asked questions
What makes cavatelli different from other hand pasta?
It's the sauce-holding shellfish: small, curled with ridges, made by dragging a piece of dough along a ridged board or fork. It catches sauce on the boat and is pleasantly quick to press.
Do I need a cavatelli maker?
No — the classic home tool is literally the back of a fork. A ridged wooden board or a fluted plateis even better; the drag-and-roll technique is the whole thing.
Can the dough be made with discard?
Yes — this is a naturally sourdough held version of the [discard pasta](/sourdough-discard-pasta) family. Fresh discard adds a soft tang and helps the shells keep their shape through the boil.