Cavatelli al Ragù Molisano — Lamb and Pork Dimpled Pasta

Mound the semolina rimacinata on a work surface or in a wide bowl. Add the warm water gradually, mixing until a shaggy mass forms. Knead firmly for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, cohesive, and considerably stiffer than a flour-and-egg pasta dough. Wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. The dough is ready when it holds its shape without cracking at the edges.

Divide the rested dough into manageable portions. Roll each portion into a rope approximately 1.5 cm in diameter. Cut the rope into 1.5 cm pieces. Keep unworked pieces covered with an inverted bowl.

Place a cut piece on a rough-textured wooden board or rigagnocchi, cut-side up. Press two or three fingertips onto the piece and drag it firmly toward you, applying simultaneous downward pressure. The dough must curl over the fingers and roll back on itself, forming a concave shell with a ribbed exterior. If the dough folds flat rather than curling into a shell, the pressure is insufficient. A correctly shaped cavatello holds an unmistakable hollow cavity that will cradle the ragù. This is where the dish lives or dies: insufficient downward pressure during the drag produces a fold rather than a shell, and the pasta loses its structural purpose.

Arrange the shaped cavatelli in a single layer on a lightly semolina-dusted tray. They may be cooked immediately or frozen on the tray before bagging for later use.

Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over a medium-high flame. Brown the pork ribs, sausage, and lamb pieces in batches — do not crowd the pot. The meat is ready to turn when it releases cleanly from the base and carries a deep mahogany crust. Remove and set aside.

Reduce the flame to medium. In the same pot, soften the onion and garlic in the residual fat until translucent and fragrant, approximately 5 minutes. Return the browned meat to the pot. Pour in the wine and allow it to reduce until the sharp alcohol smell has dissipated and the liquid is almost entirely absorbed.

Add the crushed tomatoes and rosemary. Stir to combine, season with salt, and bring to a low, steady simmer. Cover partially and braise for a minimum of 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The ragù is ready when the pork and lamb are fully tender and falling from the bone, the fat has separated to the surface as a visible orange-red slick, and the sauce has thickened to a dense, cohesive consistency. A ragù of less than 2 hours lacks the depth the dish requires.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add the cavatelli and cook for 4–5 minutes — slightly longer than fresh egg pasta. The cavatelli are done when they float and the dimpled shell offers a faint resistance at the very centre when pressed between thumb and finger.

Drain the cavatelli, reserving a ladleful of cooking water. Transfer the pasta directly to the ragù. Toss over a low flame, adding a little pasta water if needed to loosen. Plate and finish with the grated pecorino. The sharp, saline dairy note should register clearly against the fatty ragù.