Cavatelli vs Foglie d'ulivo
Cavatelli is small dumpling with a hollow, rolled under two fingers. Foglie d'ulivo is flat leaf with a pinched vein, often tinted green with spinach.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmCavatelli: 20 to 30 mm by 8 to 12 mm
Foglie d'ulivo: 35 to 50 mm by 8 to 12 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Hand-formed | Short shapes |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Puglia | Puglia |
| Section | Small dumpling with a hollow, rolled under two fingers | Flat leaf with a pinched vein, often tinted green with spinach |
| Length | 20 to 30 mm | 35 to 50 mm |
| Width or diameter | 8 to 12 mm | 8 to 12 mm |
| Surface | Rough | Rough |
| Hollow | No | No |
| Dough | Semolina and water | Semolina and water |
| Cook time | 8 to 12 min | 8 to 12 min |
| Energy, dry, per 100 g | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) |
| Protein, dry, per 100 g | 13.0 g | 13.0 g |
| Products catalogued | 14 | not measured |
| Pairs with | Broccoli and anchovy, Sausage ragu, Meat ragu, Cime di rapa, Pomodoro | Pesto alla genovese, Pomodoro, Vegetable ragu, Aglio e olio |
Cavatelli
A dense chewy shell with a hollow, so it carries a ragu, broccoli or greens with garlic, a sausage sauce, and beans. The rough face holds oil and cheese.
Foglie d'ulivo
A flat rough leaf coats well and takes light sauces: pesto, oil and cherry tomatoes, a vegetable sauce, a light seafood dressing.
Can you swap them?
Not a natural swap. They share 1 sauce: Pomodoro.
Only cavatelli: Broccoli and anchovy, Sausage ragu, Meat ragu, Cime di rapa.
Only foglie d'ulivo: Pesto alla genovese, Vegetable ragu, Aglio e olio.
Sources
- Dimensions, surface, dough, and cook time: each shape page names the brand page, spec sheet, or measured box behind every figure.
- Energy and protein: USDA FoodData Central, per 100 g of the dough, public domain.
- Products catalogued: Open Food Facts, Open Database License, read on 2026-08-25. A crowd database: a count is a floor.