Cavatelli, Meatballs & Sasto Family Gravy

Hosted by Chef Joe Sasto

LET'S GET COOKING!

In this class, Chef Joe Sasto will walk you through each step to create his signature mortadella meatballs from scratch, along with his Sasto family gravy and handmade cavatelli. This recipe really shows the unique pleasure of making a dish by hand from start to finish, and there’s really no better chef to guide you than Chef Sasto: His knowledge and passion for pasta is unmatched! You’re sure to make something truly delicious and learn a ton of culinary skills along the way.

Click here to download the printable shopping list

Click here to download the printable recipe

Test your meatballs’ salt level by quickly pan-frying or boiling a tiny amount of the meat. This will ensure your meatballs are well-seasoned before you cook the entire batch.

Don't worry about over kneading your dough! Kneading is a crucial step to making a restaurant-quality pasta, so make sure to take your time and knead until smooth and silky.

Always salt your water after it’s boiling, just before cooking your pasta. This will prevent the water from getting too salty as it evaporates.

Don’t worry about the oil in your pasta sauce separating—this is actually part of what makes it so delicious.

Make sure to always set aside a cup of boiling pasta water for thinning your sauce.

Wine Pairing Notes

This traditionally Southern Italian pasta dish has a delicious tomato sauce that is jam packed with herbs and spices! You will need a red wine that is medium-to-full-bodied, is a bit peppery, and has an earthy/herbaceous flavor profile. We say, give Cabernet Franc a try!

Cabernet Franc is a medium-bodied, medium-high tannin wine that goes great with tomato-based dishes. This wine typically has bell pepper, crushed gravel, chili pepper, and dried fruit flavors.

Get Yourself a Bottle of:

Guiseppe Quintarelli, Alzero, Cabernet Franc, Veneto, Italy

Poggio Al Tesoro, Walter, Cabernet Franc, Bolgheri, Italy

Chappellet, Pritchard Hill, Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley, California

Meet Your Chef!

Chef Joe Sasto

Pasta Master

You may recognize Chef Joe Sasto as a finalist on Top Chef All-Stars, as the winner of Season 28 of Chopped, or from his hugely popular weekly livestream pasta lessons. But, before Chef Sasto was winning cooking competitions, he was garnering a diverse array of experience in some of the world’s top Michelin-starred restaurants, including managing the handmade pasta program at Quince and as the Executive Sous Chef at Lazy Bear. Bringing a strong drive and passion for cooking, Chef Sasto is perhaps best known for his unique ability to personally connect with others through an approachable culinary lens. Recently, he launched Luna Focacceria, a high-end customizable pasta and pizza tool line with acclaimed knife maker and blacksmith Doghouse Forge, and is working on his first cookbook.