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Remember, the dough shouldn’t be too stiff.
    3. Shape the dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, no longer than 2 hours. Now continue from Step 4 in the instructions for Perfect Pasta Dough on page 55 .

     

 
    Homemade Cheesy Cavatelli
     
    Makes about 1½ pounds, 6 to 8 servings
     
    As Joe already told you, homemade cavatelli is a little different than regular pasta dough in that we make it with cheese instead of eggs. This is my kids’ absolute favorite kind of pasta. Because it’s so flavorful already, you don’t need a really heavy sauce.
     
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, as needed
    1. Put the ricotta in a large bowl. Gradually stir in just enough of the flour to make a soft dough that holds together. (I skip the spoon and use my hands.) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth, pliable dough—the consistency should remind you of Play-Doh. This dough doesn’t require as much kneading as other pasta.
    2. Generously flour a rimmed baking sheet. Roll the dough into a thick log, and then cut into 16 equal portions. On a clean work surface, using clean, dry hands, roll 1 portion of dough under your palms into a long rope about ¼-inch thick. Cut the rope into 1-inch lengths. Here is where your Play-Doh training really comes in: Wrap a piece of dough around a pencil, spoon, or round chopstick until the sides almost meet—it will look like a little hot dog bun. Slide off and onto the baking sheet. (The cavatelli can be made up to 8 hours ahead, covered loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerated.)
    3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Carefully add the cavatelli and cook until they all float on the surface of the water, 1 to 3 minutes. Drain carefully (they are delicate and you don’t want to smash them.) Serve hot.
     

     
    ***     My Ma’s Middle Finger     ***
    M ost people use a pencil or spoon to wrap their cavatelli, but my mama uses her middle finger to poke it into shape. You can also use a cavatelli machine, which you can find online, to literally crank them out.
     

     

     

 
    Franco’s Fettuccine with Creamy Portobello Sauce
     
    Makes 4 to 6 servings
     
    Now that you’ve had a chance to make your own pasta, let’s finish it off with a spectacular sauce. Fettuccine is one of the easiest noodles to make—the sloppier you cut it, the more “authentic” and “rustic” it will look—so here is my father-in-law’s favorite sauce to go with it.
     
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 portobello mushrooms, trimmed, caps and stems cut into ½-inch dice
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Perfect Pasta Dough ( page 55 ), cut into fettuccine, or 1 pound store-bought fresh fettuccine
⅓ cup (1½ ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
    1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat.
    2. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms give off their liquid, it evaporates, and they begin to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it evaporates by half, about 1 minute. Stir in the cream, parsley, and sage and bring to a boil. Cook until lightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
    3. Add the fettuccine to the boiling water and cook just until barely tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a colander. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the sauce and Parmigiano and stir gently. Serve hot, with a bowl of grated Parmigiano passed on the side.
     
     
    ***     Baby