Benedetto Cavalieri Bucatini, also known as perciatelli, is a thick, long pasta similar to spaghetti but with a hollow center running through each strand. This classic Roman shape is designed to capture sauce both inside and outside the pasta, delivering fuller flavor in every bite.
Produced in southern Italy, Benedetto Cavalieri pasta is made using carefully selected durum wheat grown on the hills of the region without chemical fertilizers. The dough is kneaded slowly and extruded through special bronze dies, giving the pasta its rough, porous surface. It is then dried at low temperatures for approximately 40 hours — a traditional method that preserves the nutritional value of the wheat and develops deeper flavor.
Unlike industrial pasta, which tends to appear smooth and overly glossy, artisanal pasta like Cavalieri’s has a slightly rough texture with natural starch remaining on the surface. This allows sauces to cling beautifully, resulting in a richer, more balanced dish.
This shape shines in traditional Roman and bold preparations such as:
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Amatriciana (tomato, guanciale, pecorino)
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Carbonara
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Gricia
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Cacio e Pepe
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Hearty meat ragù
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Robust tomato-based sauces
Because of its thickness and hollow structure, bucatini works best with sauces that are structured and cling to the pasta rather than light oil-only preparations.