The difference
Cavatelli vs Malloreddus
Both are small Southern shells pressed by hand, but cavatelli is a smooth rolled hull with a hollow, while malloreddus, the Sardinian gnocchetti, is ridged and often tinted gold with saffron. Cavatelli catches sauce in its fold, malloreddus grips it on the ridges, classically with sausage and tomato.

Cavatelli
- Family
- Hand-formed regional
- Size
- not yet measured
- Surface
- Textured
- Cook
- 15 to 18 min
Wants: Sausage ragu, Broccoli rabe, Tomato sauce

Malloreddus
- Family
- Hand-formed regional
- Size
- 20 mm long
- Surface
- Textured
- Cook
- 10 min
Wants: Sausage ragu, Tomato sauce, Ragu
Compare more shapes, or look up Cavatelli and Malloreddus in full.