From Claire Saffitz.
A big thank you to our friends at Mill for sponsoring this episode! Mill helps reduce food waste—perfect for kitchen scraps like veggie peels, herb stems, and egg shells. Right now, they’re generously offering Dessert Person subscribers $125 off, so it’s a great time to make a positive impact in your kitchen. Learn more at: https://www.mill.com/clairesaffitz
How Claire Saffitz Makes Pasta Primavera with Homemade Cavatelli | Dessert Person
Claire Saffitz is back with a perfect spring recipe: homemade cavatelli pasta tossed with blanched asparagus, fresh herbs, lemon, and parmesan in a vibrant Pasta Primavera. This fresh, seasonal dish highlights how simple ingredients can become something special when made from scratch.
In this episode of Dessert Person, Claire shows how to make homemade ricotta cavatelli using just ricotta, flour, and eggs – no pasta machine required. Paired with spring vegetables like asparagus, chopped leeks, and bright herbs like parsley, chives, and basil, this pasta primavera is light, flavorful, and easy to make at home.
Whether you’re craving a vegetarian pasta dish or looking to master your pasta dough skills, this recipe hits all the right notes for spring cooking.
Ingredients Highlighted:
• Homemade cavatelli pasta (ricotta dough)
• Blanched asparagus
• Olive oil, garlic, chopped leek
• Parmesan cheese, parsley, chives, basil
• Lemon zest and juice
• Butter to finish
Watch to learn:
• How to make cavatelli pasta from scratch
• Best way to blanch asparagus for pasta
• How Claire balances fat, acid, and herbs for flavor
1 lb asparagus
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 clove garlic, smashed
1 leek, white and light green parts finely chopped
2 ounces finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Torn basil
1 tablespoon butter, to finish
Homemade Cavatelli
12 ounces strained whole-milk ricotta
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the surface
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Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:38 Making fresh pasta
01:26 Ingredients & Special Equipment
02:50 Mill
04:22 Make the Ricotta Dough
07:22 Divide & Roll the Dough
08:19 Make the Cavatelli Shapes
09:25 Prep the Vegetables
11:40 Chicken Intermission
14:34 Now back to the recipe…
15:43 Cook the Vegetables
18:15 Cook the Pasta
21:37 Plate & Serve
23:14 Cat Cam
