91yr old Margherita makes 'cazzellitti' cavatelli and greens from Abruzzo | Pasta Grannies

91 years old Margherita from the wonderful remote village of Scanno shares her recipe for 'cazzellitti con la foje'. A note about the name cazzellitti. The shape in other parts of southern Italy has all sorts of names, but most commonly understood for non Italians is cavatelli; hence I have also referred to them as this. Margherita once or twice called them gnocchi; this term is sometimes used for non potato pasta forms in various parts of Italy. Gnocchi can mean lump (Livia tells me). Call it what you will, cazzellitti are an easy pasta to make, and this is a great early spring dish which feels like it's doing you good. You will need:
300g 0 flour, 150ml tepid water, a pinch of salt
800g or so of 'chewy' greens: kale, cime di rapa,
1 garlic clove, 30g anchovy fillets (good quality). Omit and add leeks or onions if you want to make it vegan.
With thanks to Videoesse TV for their permission to use a clip of the people in Sanno from this video: • Ju Catenacce - Corteo ...

[@fabioborgogno8776]

Finally an old lady saying that now life in better. A smart woman. ❤

[@judithlehman6533]

It's difficult to explain just how much these Grannies and your documentation of them means to me. They are a joy to watch and "meet". Your work is so valuable to us!

[@canchero724]

I'd have believed it without question if you told that she was 60! This is the most young looking 91 year old I've ever seen.

[@blipblip88]

No cutting boards for these wonderful old grannies! They all use their "nona knives" against their thumbs-and with great skill to never be injured! Fantastico!!

[@arezouniqu4702]

Mia cara, spero che tu sia sana e benedetta, cara madre, con tanto amore e rispetto. Sono Arzoo iraniano e Teheran è la mia città natale🥰👆🙏👏

[@rskye11]

"Lots of olive oil" is they mainstay of Pasta Grannies. Hearing it as well when the Nonnas ask if y'all are going to eat some is like a warm hug.

[@CrowSkeleton]

Dang, sixteen cows, no wonder she can squish pasta into submission at 91 with barely an effort. I like her traditional clothes, too. Incompletely draining the pasta that's going into an oil-based sauce is a very efficient way to add starch/stick and stop it falling straight off: the generations-honed simplicity of the recipe is impressive.

[@fas1242]

Beautiful lady from a beautiful Italian mountain town which just happens to be my maternal ancestral town.

[@erosamuk]

The patience and the beautiful complexion of a saint! God bless you, Margherita!! Bless you and all your family!

[@patriciavincent5076]

What an amazing treasure this woman is. A true “contadina”. ❤️

[@jonesbub1]

The grannies always make me smile and Margherita definitely gave me a big smile! Her rustic pasta recipe with such simple ingredients made my mouth water! Great video, Margherita! ♥️🤗

[@cats831]

My family is from Montebello Sul Sangro (formerly Buonnanote) in Chiete, so any time I get to see something spotlighting Abruzzo culture and food I'm overwhelmed. My father's family left in the diaspora at the start of the last century and I didn't get to learn much about my culture first hand, we always ate Cavatelli growing up, but I have a gluten allergy so I can't anymore, this brought back wonderful memories. Grazie Margherita!

[@salut1810]

We use these greens in the Syrian/Eastern Mediterranean countryside. We cook it with olive oil and garlic or onion and add lemon or we just cook it with these triangle shape dough things (kinda like pasta) or burgul, also with olive oil and garlic/onion. The similarities across the Mediterranean are fascinating. This lady reminds me so much of my grandma who used to go out into the wild to pick these leaves ❤️🌸

[@anastasia4068]

Is it spinach?

[@salut1810]

@@anastasia4068 no im not sure what it’s called in English but it usually grows in the wild

[@Divinefeminine12]

@@anastasia4068​​⁠​⁠no, it is not. It’s broccoli rabe

[@christineb8148]

The wedding portrait was really beautiful. I'd love to know the elements of traditional clothing that Margherita wore in that portrait and what she wears now. And that bitter greens, pasta, and anchovy combination sounds perfect, especially in Springtime.

[@duckmama]

I LOVE seeing the traditional dress and the preserving of culture. These Abbruzzo episodes are my favorite!

[@robc7563]

How wonderful! The tradition…the wonderful food…and the WONDERFUL MARGHERITA!! Grazie Margherita

[@GB-ug5pc]

Margherita’s style of cooking is what we grew up on in our “Italian American” home. Abruzzese influence predominated daily life; no less in the kitchen. The scents of Margherita’s garlic, oil and anchovies filled my mind of scenes from our kitchen in 1960s Upstate NY and woke my senses to the distinct odor of the sautéd greens. Nothing wasted - even the water was recycled. These videos are treasures - and testament - to the strength of these wise women of little words but deep devotion to their families and culture. Thanks for another amazing edition of Pasta Grannies!

[@pastagrannies]

good memories to have! best wishes, Vicky

[@CassBlast5]

It’s honestly so nice to hear ONE elderly person who feels that life is better now

[@matthewbrick7539]

Wow! How wonderful! ❤ I am so excited Pasta Grannies has gone to Scanno! Brava Margherita! ❤ This is my family's home town, and I have made this dish many times. I love it. Only no fish for me, because I am a vegetarian. I made this for one American friend, and he was amazed that these greens, and broccoli raabe are actually delicious when cooked the proper way. He always had had them cooked like spinach and thought them way too bitter. He has been converted. I recently made pasta with a group of three other friends, men, who had never made any before. We used the hand crank machine that clamps to the table to make cazzellitti (cavatelli). Then, we made these by hand, just as Margherita does. One friend really applied himself that day, and after making a few, he mastered the movement, and became like a junior pasta granny. You really can do this too. What your wonderful camera work shows, but Margherita does not say, is that the texture should be a little bit like bark. It should gently ridge or ruffle on the side you draw against the board. This is different than classic Abruzzese potato gnocchi, which are pretty smooth. (They look like little fingers, and I always thought they called gnocchi after nocche - knuckles) These cazzellitti are thinner and curled and have a texture on the outside that makes for a beautiful mouth-feel. You should definitely form them against a wooden pasta board, or cutting board if you have one. Some people say, that depending on what your board is like, you should draw them against the grain of the wood to help give them the desired texture. Thank you for documenting Margherita's masterpiece, and for sharing it with us! ❤

[@pastagrannies]

hi Matthew thank you for insights and for sharing your experience! best wishes, Vicky

[@wyattperp3455]

I miss my great grandmother so much

[@scusatema]

Scanno! 😍 Such a beautiful village where you can see all the ladies along the streets working Tombolo. So much art and skills in such a tiny place! ❤

[@scottamori3188]

Another four-star episode! Margherita is 90? I am dumbstruck again and such a gorgeous setting, too. Thanks for continuing to find and highlight these ladies. They are true cultural treasures.

[@ABM750]

Such a simple dish looks delicious thank you margarita I will cook this for my family

[@annettecinquemanifalbo17]

What a beautiful woman and still with such amazing skills in the kitchen! And 16 cows a milking! What a memory! Gosh she says it's better now for her than 50 years ago! And to think people nowadays are trying to go back in time and do the very things that she was doing 50 years ago, and it was hard then for her and her family.. and today life is so much easier.. People today have no clue!

[@JamesJacksonFraser]

Yeah amazing skills Most of people really got no clue Such ways weren’t in practice when they left the womb 😅 By the way I’m James

[@annettecinquemanifalbo17]

@@JamesJacksonFraser hey James, my father's name was James Bernardo Cinquemani!

[@JamesJacksonFraser]

@@annettecinquemanifalbo17 Oh really He must have been a straight forward person like me His he still around ?

[@annettecinquemanifalbo17]

@@JamesJacksonFraser my father passed away in Feb of '93. I miss him and my mom so much. Momma passed on May 5, 2000. Hard to believe my parents have been gone that long now, never a day goes by that I don't think of both of them and thank them for giving me my life..

[@alliesmom2946]

Well today is June 24th so Happy 73rd Anniversary to this beautiful woman and her shy husband!

[@LS-fs6nc]

incredible,lady Margherita looks like 20 years younger!admirable! 💗

[@giselsilva]

I am always amazed that most of the grannies don't wear any eye-glasses! Incredible!

[@swissfoodie3542]

That recipe looks really tasty. And I love it how Margherita asks at the end of the video "wont they taste it ?". So sweet. Thanks a lot for sharing Vicky

[@fran6b]

She makes the pasta sing! Great dish!

[@VerhoevenSimon]

What a magnificent dish, and it's always a delight to see local produce being used. And as always, what a delightful host!

[@nancya.nelson5810]

She looks great for her age and still so capable. Makes me wonder about our culture.

[@clonn]

You guys are a great team!

[@panoreapan470]

very very healthy dish probably the most healthy pasta dish l have seen

[@robertsterner2145]

When I was watching, I was thinking to myself "that looks so much like making gnocchi except without the potatoes," so I was pleased to hear that she also calls them that. BTW, when they were showing where the greens grow, can you imagine walking out to that view every day? It's glorious.

[@jrthiker9908]

Am loving these videos from Abruzzo you've been doing! Thanks again for showcasing the region so beautifully. Scanno and the Apennine mountain towns are incredibly scenic with unique cuisines, and easy to visit if you have a car. Abruzzo has 2 wildly different styles of cooking because of the mountain/ocean confluence. And the weekly food festivals or sagre in summer celebrating one local ingredient or pasta (like rabbit, frog, arrosticini, cherries, porcini, baccala', timballo teramano) are spectacular. Only 2 1/2 hours from Rome by car or bus and the drive across the Apennine on A24 is breathtaking.

She reminded me of my nona. Wonderful dispossition. Also, a great recipe

[@belindam3797]

Lovely Margherita, she has such wonderful energy and wisdom. Its no wonder Margherita is in such great health - by eating fresh verdura and pasta with lots of olive oil- not to mention the fish oil from the anchovies. Up in the Appenine mountain villages the water is so pure and all the produce is both local and of incredible quality. Most of the older residents have a cottage garden and grow their vegetables fresh- gardening keeps them very active! My father’s family is from Basilicata not far from that part of Abruzzo and its a really beautiful part of the world 💚

[@chase9899]

Damn I wish I can still move around like that when I'm her age. Also that pasta looks so good!

[@laverite1050]

The most beautiful girl in my high school also had the name Margherita :) .. this dish looks delicious. Will have to try her recipe!

[@sevenoctobers7471]

I really love the simple dishes that feature a lot of vegetables. Kinda explains why the nonnas remain so sprightly. Those are goals yo! 🥰

[@artycrafty9209]

Margharita is incredible. Vicky there is a them running here, living up a mountain seems to keep these amazing ladies so young, think we need some research into that! Well done for finding her, she has such a kind face bless her, and her cavatelli! well the skill was something special. Thank you as always. Ramon.

[@pastagrannies]

hi Ramon, yes you are right - all those uphills are good for one's heart and metabolism! And our signore have been physically active all their lives. People talk about the Mediterranean Diet, but actually it's the Mediterranean Lifestyle which keeps folks like Margherita living a healthy old age. 🏃‍♀️ best wishes, Vicky

[@artycrafty9209]

@@pastagrannies Vicky you are so right, its not all the cheese, hams, salami, pasta and wine! it really is activity and it should be a big lesson to us all.

[@souadghazal2533]

She's so cute... va bene ? Si si , molto bene Margherita. We love her ... 😘and I love her other stove in the back. 😍

[@regularSenseAppeal]

Lovely old lady. Those pastas look awesome.

[@moishglukovsky]

These are what my grandmothers, mother, and now I make -- sometimes with potato, other times without. We'd typically call them "gnocchi" with potato and "cavatelli" without, but as you said, they're all basically lumps of dough. We put the divot in the same way Margherita does. I've also seen them made with flour and boiling water, rather than room temperature water. I imagine that develops the gluten more quickly and so can be more easily rolled out. Bravissima, Vicki!

[@sheldonwolfe6412]

L'Abbruzese sono forte e gentile! These words ring so true for my abbruzese ancestors . My grandparents are from Bisenti, Castelfrentano and Cupelo and settled in Philadelphia just prior to WWI. They brought "ricette come questo" with them and their children, and we, their grandchildren enjoyed meals the "medigan" could not imagine. Writing here under spouse's (e' un ebreo) account.

[@leftunsupervised]

I want to eat that right now

[@song4568]

I’ve waited all my 55 years to meet this woman.

[@skinnythinn]

Thank you for this channel 🙏🏻

[@pastagrannies]

Our pleasure! best wishes, Vicky

[@barbaramontoya5971]

❤ it looks delicious 😊 thank you for your work and for sharing the life of all these wonderful people

[@alanmurdoch70]

What a lovely lady. Her recipe looks delicious.

[@rolfingegypt2209]

What a beautiful woman.

[@damianrhea8875]

Must be DELICIOUS !! I cook my hardy greens - collard greens, kales, daikon radish greens, etc. - with anchovies, and they are amazingly delicious.

[@juanarosa-gonzalez6705]

She is so happy !

[@Cuteanimals-up6pj]

Need to make this one next ❤

[@user-gm4th1dk3x]

Какая прелесть! Восхищение! 91 год, 👏🏻

[@sih1095]

Amazing as ever 👍

[@cathyggill]

Beautiful woman; she was my mother's age.

[@canisinumbra]

It’s a good variation of orecchiette con cime di tapa, my favourite pasta ❤️

[@Raquel_33]

❤❤❤❤ love from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@davisd_ambly4067]

I'll try this tonight!

[@JWTNS]

I love it when Antonio says, "No, the crew won't eat it, they're on a diet", LOL!!! He wants it all for himself. Hilarious!

[@Sammysam44]

Isn't she just so beautiful ❤😊

[@grouchosaidit5454]

Just marvelous! Thank you.

[@VeraLucia-qs1jp]

Aí nona quero um pratinho dessa comida deliciosa, até senti o cheirinho daqui do Brasil!!! Grasie!

[@wonderwoman5528]

I’m copying the anchovy sauce for the pasta I’m making today! 😊 x

[@kevinwatts661]

Thank you, Margherita!

[@Surgutbaku]

Вас приветствую из России!🇷🇺

[@lntersteIIa5555]

ciao🙋🏻‍♂️

[@gipsi2001]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@innocentnemesis3519]

I wanna be like these sweet ladies when I grow up

[@fatimarodrigues8971]

Belíssima ❤

[@WinstonSmithGPT]

This is how my mothers Teramana family made gnocchi.

[@halitosis75]

Bellisimo ❤

[@eclecticexplorer7828]

I appreciate the tip for making it vegan. I am not vegan, but I am vegetarian, so anchovies are a no-go for me as well. While they would take away from being authentically Italian, white or yellow miso paste, nori, and Marmite are some of the other substitutes for anchovies commonly used by vegans.

[@GulfportHooligan]

She made Gnocchi by hand OG

[@stevelogan5475]

Ms. Vicky, it never fails as here is another lovely pasta granny with a great recipe & being Irish we make potato gnocchi similar in Appalachia, but the gnocchi is rustic & just rolled into small ovals & for bitter greens we use a wild grown bunch of Polk or dandelion leaves.. God Bless everyone😂

[@pastagrannies]

hi Steve, yes potato gnocchi are a good swap. I hope you are continuing to heal. best wishes, Vicky

[@stevelogan5475]

@Pasta Grannies Ms. Vicky, thank you, God Bless you, still healing, slowly

[@peter-fuppe-fuchs]

Is she 91! 😱😱 She looks not a day over 60.... 🥰

[@Peace17292]

Aluminum pot, gas stove, lived into nineties...no anxieties ..👍😉

[@misspomerol]

I’m just now seeing this video after making this twice this week 😅 Yes, I live in Abruzzo.

[@user-zb8lj7uz1i]

열무에 수제비라니…😊😊😊

[@josiemorgan5401]

☺️🤗❤️💐🙏

[@irinakrinenko5614]

Ledi Margherita looks much younger, and the pasta is probably very tasty

[@thecat1250]

haha the husband, classic

[@JohnMCowan]

LOL the husband said: 🎥❔ 🚫 👋🏻 🚶🏻

[@user-wv8sk6wt1i]

،🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰😍

[@rukenruken7526]

she looks like 75 lol. she can pass 100 easly. her condition is good

[@MarioTartaglia-dh6pi]

In molise we call them cavatielli I was around 8 when my mom made us help her to make the hole in them with two fingers U should do some grannies from molise There is a lot of old people there and the food is still old world

[@marybretired]

I understand why you skip past the mixing/kneading process suddenly showing the dough smooth. However, it would be helpful if the commentary occasionally included a mention of the amount of time it took to go from the initial rough mixing to the “smooth dough” . A

[@eolobrontolo9117]

Good evening to you all. If you're not bothered by a curse word, i'll say a thing. Wait, please... In some dialects of Abruzzo, the substantive "cazzellitti" could mean " little pe*ises" 😊or "tiny stuff". Margherita means Daisy, it was the name of the queen Margherita, wife of king Umberto I, and the Pizza Margherita was invented for her and named after her. In Scanno you may visit the eponymous, heart shaped lake.😉

[@purplestarowl89]

😊😊😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋💞💞💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💞💞💞💞💕💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓🥘🥘🥘🥘🥘🥘🥘🍲🍲🍲🍲🍲💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓

[@chrisdooley1184]

The husband didn’t want to stay and celebrate something wonderful that his wife does that’s being acknowledged by guests and recording equipment? I’m really surprised by this because after seeing literally hundreds of these, the husbands are almost always beaming and smiling at their wives and how she cooks!

[@catbear305]

vibe with the husband that doesn't want to be filmed so he went on a walk

[@wyattperp3455]

Im looking for a sugar pasta granny. 40 year old biker will work for food.

[@annettecinquemanifalbo17]

Lol, now that's funny!😄

[@wyattperp3455]

@@annettecinquemanifalbo17 love you

[@annettecinquemanifalbo17]

@@wyattperp3455 think so huh!?! Well if you tasted my Italian cooking it'd be more than amore! 😁

[@annettecinquemanifalbo17]

@@wyattperp3455 I've uploaded a few little videos on my channel of my cooking skills! I'm not as good a videographer as I am chef! Love to cook because I love to eat good food! I posted a couple of short videos last weekend of my grown children making pizZA in my kitchen it was a great time!

[@jasmingodoymusic]

yes yes and yes