Basilicata
A mixed pasta preparation traditional at Lucano weddings and feasts — combining hand-rolled cavatelli (pressed with two fingers across a ridged board) with 'ndunderi di ricotta (large ricotta-and-semolina gnocchi descended from Roman garum-era recipes), served together in a simple tomato and basil sauce or braised lamb ragù. The combination of two handmade pasta formats in one dish is uniquely Lucano.
The contrast between the chewy cavatelli and the soft, milky 'ndunderi makes each bite different; tomato sauce provides acidity; the combination is greater than the sum of its parts — festive food made with patience
{"Cavatelli dough: durum semolina and water only, kneaded until smooth — no egg","'Ndunderi dough: ricotta drained overnight, semolina, egg and aged caciocacallo — must be quite firm to hold shape when boiled","Form cavatelli by pressing two fingers down and dragging across a ridged board — the drag creates the hollow centre","Form 'ndunderi into golf-ball-sized ovals — they are intentionally large and rustic","Cook separately and combine in the sauce — they have different cooking times (cavatelli 3–4 minutes; 'ndunderi 5–6 minutes)"}
{"Freeze 'ndunderi on a tray before boiling — they hold together much better when partially frozen","The 'ndunderi recipe is among Italy's oldest documented pasta preparations — Roman sources describe 'ndunderi-like dumplings from the pre-Augustan period in the Lucanian region","Serve the mixed pasta on a wooden board (the traditional serving method) rather than a bowl"}
{"Wet ricotta in the 'ndunderi — they dissolve in the water; drain overnight over a sieve lined with cheesecloth","Cavatelli without the drag — pressing without dragging creates a flat pasta with no texture advantage","Combining in the water and over-cooking the cavatelli while waiting for the 'ndunderi to finish"}
La Cucina di Basilicata — Tradizioni Lucane