Cingule, or Cavatelli as they are known in other parts of Italy,
are one of the classic forms of pasta that are made in the home
in Bovino.
Ingredients:
Flour, Water, Pinch of Salt, Egg - Optional
Instructions:
On a board, sieve the flour into heap. Allow about
150 grammes of flour per person (approx 5 1/2 oz). Make an indentation
in the middle to make a large doughnut shaped ring. Sprinkle with
salt. Place a small amount of water in the hole, and fold the flour
into it. If you cannot get good quality pasta flour, replace all
or some of the water with egg. This will have the effect of creating
heavier pasta. Knead the mixture for several minutes. Feel the texture
of the dough with your fingers.
If the dough sticks to your hands, it is too wet: sprinkle on more
flour.
If the dough cracks or falls apart it is too dry. To adjust this
moisten fingers and knead dough. Do not pour water directly onto
the dough, as it is all too easy to produce a sticky mess. Once a
smooth, consistent texture has been achieved, leave the dough to
rest for a while.
Cut off a small chunk of the dough, and roll it into
a long tail. The tail should be about 1 cm wide and about 20 cm (8
in) long. For each cingule, cut off a 1 cm (3/4 in) long piece of
the tail, and pull the knife over the pasta so as to squish it between
the knife and the board. If the dough is mixed right, the pasta should
curl up behind the knife to form a shape similar to a large coffee
bean. Both the knife and the board should be smooth for this process.
With practice, you should be able to to do around
100 cingule a minute.
Once shaped, the cingule should be spaced out on
a clean cloth and left to dry out for an hour or two. If you arrive
for lunch a bit early, it's not uncommon to find every window sill
in the house with a tray of pasta drying in front of it.
To cook, boil plenty of salted water in a large saucepan. You will
need much more water and much less time than is the case with dried
packet pasta. Taste to check texture. When cooked, drain and serve
immediately with a simple tomato sauce.
Buon appetito!
Ciao Bovino
Pasta with Walnuts (or Pecans)
Makes 4 servings (Time: 20 minutes)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 thick slice Italian bread
1/2 cup milk
1 cup walnut or pecan halves
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh marjoram leaves or 1 /2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 pound linguine, spaghetti, or other long pasta (al dente)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Soak the bread in the milk. Combine the nuts, garlic, and cheese in a food processor and turn the machine on. With the machine running, add the oil gradually, using just enough so that the mixture forms a very thick paste. Squeeze out the bread and add it to the mix, which will be very thick. Now add the milk the bread soaked in, and enough water to make a saucy mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until it is tender. When it is ready, drain it — reserve some of the cooking water — and toss with the sauce; if the mixture appears too thick, thin with a little of the pasta cooking water (or more olive oil). Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve, with more Parmesan shavings.
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