Orecchiette, a type of fresh pasta made from semolina flour, is a cherished culinary gem in Italy, known and loved worldwide. It serves as the gastronomic symbol of the Puglia region.

These small, round, concave pasta shapes, with their distinctive rough surface and thinner center compared to the edges, are traditionally paired with turnip greens or enjoyed with a simple tomato sauce, or with broccoli and meat.

In Puglia, there are various names for this particular type of fresh pasta: "recchie" or "recchietelle," due to their vaguely ear-like shape, "chianchiarelle" for smaller sizes, and "pociacche" for larger dimensions. There are also flat orecchiette, known as "strascinate," which are simply dragged with a utensil on a work surface and not twisted. What version will Chef Fabio Abbattista have chosen for us?

Nutritional Info

238 Calories per serving

- Energy Kcal: 238

- Carbohydrates g: 51.2 (of which sugars g: 1.3)

- Proteins g: 7.6

- Fats g: 0.3 (of which saturated g: 0.08)

- Fibre g: 2.4

- Sodium mg: 398

Ingredients

- Warm water 200 g

- Semolina flour 400 g

- Fine salt to taste

Preparation

To prepare orecchiette, start by placing the semolina flour on a work surface, creating a well, and adding a pinch of salt to the flour. Begin pouring the room temperature water into the center and start incorporating the flour gradually with your fingers to absorb the water you continue to pour in.

Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, shaping it into a round ball and covering it with a cloth to rest for about 15 minutes at room temperature.

After the resting time, take a portion of the dough with a dough cutter, leaving the rest covered. Roll the portion into a small log about 1 cm thick and cut it into small pieces around 1 cm in size. With a smooth-bladed utensil, shape each piece into a shell by dragging it towards you on a lightly floured surface. Twist the shell onto itself to form orecchiette. Continue this process until all the dough is used, and you have made your Puglian orecchiette!

Storage

You can air-dry the orecchiette covered (but not sealed) with a dry cloth; once dried, they can be stored for about a month. Alternatively, freeze them on a tray, spaced apart, and transfer them to more convenient freezer bags once they harden for storage.

Tip

Cook the orecchiette in boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. Dress them traditionally with turnip greens according to Puglian cuisine, or enjoy them with a simple tomato sauce!

Experiment with other semolina-based shapes like classic cavatelli or potato-based pasta, or pair orecchiette with fricelli, as in our recipe for pasta with asparagus, octopus, and burrata!