Pasta Almanac

The difference

Orecchiette vs Cavatelli

Both are small Southern shapes dragged by hand, but orecchiette is a smooth concave ear pressed on a round disc, while cavatelli is a little rolled hull with a hollow down the middle. Orecchiette cups a sauce, cavatelli catches it in the fold.

Gouache illustration of Orecchiette

Orecchiette

Family
Shaped shorts
Size
9 to 25 mm across
Surface
Textured
Cook
9 to 13 min

Wants: Broccoli rabe, Sausage ragu, Tomato with cacioricotta

Gouache illustration of Cavatelli

Cavatelli

Family
Hand-formed regional
Size
not yet measured
Surface
Textured
Cook
15 to 18 min

Wants: Sausage ragu, Broccoli rabe, Tomato sauce

Keep exploring

See the full profiles for Orecchiette and Cavatelli, or compare more shapes.

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