Homemade Semolina Pasta Dough
This semolina pasta dough (semola rimacinata) is a traditional southern Italian-style dough enriched with ricotta and Parmigiano. Our secrets to this simple pasta dough are using double-milled durum wheat flour as well as ricotta cheese to make it easier to knead.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Fork or bench scraper (for mixing)
- Cavatelli board, fork, or cavatelli machine (for shaping)
Ingredients
- 2 cups semola rimacinata flour fine, double-milled durum wheat semolina
- ½ cup finely grated fresh Parmigiano cheese
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese, strained
- 1 Pinch of salt
- ¾-1 cup water as needed
- Extra semola rimacinata for rolling and dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the fine semolina flour, finely grated Parmesan cheese, and a pinch of salt until combined.
- Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface, such as your countertop or a large cutting board. Shape it into a mound and make a well in the center. Add the ricotta to the well.
- Pour about one-third of the water into the well with the ricotta. Use a fork to begin pulling the flour into the center. Add more water a little at a time, only as needed, until the dough starts to come together. Once most of the flour is incorporated, use a bench scraper to cut and gather it into a shaggy, coarse dough. It will look dry at first — that’s normal.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. The dough should not feel sticky.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Cut off a small piece of dough, keeping the rest wrapped so it doesn’t dry out. Roll the piece into a thin log, about 3/8 inch in diameter — roughly the width of your finger.
- Cut the log into small pieces about ½ inch long. Using a cavatelli board, fork, or machine, roll each piece into cavatelli. Place the shaped pasta on a tray dusted with semolina.
- At this stage, you can cook the pasta right away, refrigerate the shaped cavatelli for a few hours, or freeze them in a single layer for later. If cooking immediately, let the pasta sit out briefly while you bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the cavatelli to the boiling water. Fresh pasta will cook in 2–3 minutes, while frozen pasta will take 4–5 minutes. The pasta is ready when it floats to the surface and is al dente. Drain and serve with your favorite sauce.
Notes
- This recipe uses semola rimacinata flour, which is fine, double-milled durum wheat semolina. Don’t confuse it with coarse semolina, which is too gritty for pasta dough.
- If the dough feels too dry, lightly wet your fingertips and continue kneading — it will come together. If it feels too wet, dust with a touch more semola.
- Keep unused dough covered with plastic wrap while shaping so it doesn’t dry out.
- The dough may look shaggy and dry at first, but it will hydrate as you knead. Avoid adding too much water too early.
- This enriched version with ricotta and Parmesan is softer and more tender than the traditional semolina-and-water dough, which can be very dense and chewy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 298kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 13.8gFat: 5.6gSodium: 3mgCalcium: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!