Homemade Orecchiette

`It is not a secret that making homemade pasta from scratch is one of my passion. There is just something about it and homemade orecchiette is just so exciting to make and to taste afterwards! These little wonders are born to hold the sauce and their chewy texture is just to die for.

I have to confess that shaping orecchiette, meaning little ears in Italian, takes some practice but the thing you always need to remember with pasta making is that the more you practice the better it will turn out: so let’s just get started with this easy step to step recipe.

What are orecchiette?

This Italian variety pf pasta is characterized by its shape, which is reminiscent of small ears. The orecchiette pasta shape gives them a unique texture that is soft in the center and slightly chewy around the edges. Orecchiete were invented in Puglia in the 8th century, when the region was under the Norman rule, and some food historians believe that their shape recalls the the roofs of traditional cone-shaped huts which were built in the region, called trulli.

While nowadays in Puglia still persist a strong tradition of passing down from one generation to another the method of making orecchiette, you can also buy them dry in the most assorted grocery stores. But I have to confess that nothing compares to making your own.

In Puglia the traditional orecchiette recipes are with broccoli rabe or with broccoli and sausage, but combinations are endless!

Why you will love making homemade orecchiette

-These homemade orecchiette pasta is ideal if you love making your own food from scratch.

-Oreecchiette are made with a simple semolina and water dough. You will need only a wooden board, a sharp knife and your magic hands!

-This shape will pair perfect with an incredible amount of sauce: so make a batch and get ready to enjoy your hard work!

Homemade orecchiette ingredients

This Italian staples requires only 3 ingredients:

Semolina: durum wheat flour is a harder flour that will better retain pasta shape and it is ideal to use for this shape and in general for any short type pasta such as cavatelli, trofie and malloreddus. You will need 300 gr of flour and I invite you to use a digital scale as it is more accurate. The ratio of flour and water is very important to ensure a great result.

Water: simple, easy, but lukewarm water, added to the flour will give you that chewy consistency that is divine! Use 5 fl oz. Approximately half of the weight and add a few tablespoons in case your dough results dry.

Salt: because everything taste better with a bit of salt!

And of course you will need a lots of love, because that love and dedication you will put into making your orecchiette dough will come through in every bite!

How to shape orecchiette?

To make orecchiette pasta by hand like an Italian nonna, follow these few simple steps and you will master the art of making this traditional Italian pasta dish in the comfort of your own kitchen.

STEP 1: Gather all necessary ingredients for the recipe. Which are semolina flour, lukewarm water and salt. Mix the flour with salt and form a volcano. Place the water in the middle of the volcano. Helping yourself with a fork start incorporating the flour with the water until you have a paste that you can start working with you hands. The dough will be a bit sticky at this stage.

STEP 2: Spread some semola flour on the work surface and knead the dough until it becomes smooth and it is elastic. It will take around 10 minutes. You will know it is ready when you impress a thumb in the dough and dough bounce back immediately.  Let the dough rest for 30 minutes covered with a tea towel. Why should I rest the dough? The resting period allows the flour to continue to hydrate, and the gluten network to relax. If you skip this step it will be an epic disaster: your dough will be too elastic AND WILL NOT KEEP THE SHAPE!

Alternatively you can add the flour in a food processor and then add the water while you are mixing it with the flour. It will be faster, but I have to say that doing it by hand is the best way to go as you can really feel the dough coming together.

STEP 3: Now, tale the dough and with the knife divide in 4 equal part. Take a quarter and start rolling it out into a long thin rope about 1/2 inch in diameter.

STEP 4: Cut the rope into small pieces about 1/4 inch long. Take each piece and make a ball just by moldong it with your hands.

STEP 5: Using your knife (or thumb or index finger) press down on each piece of dough and drag it towards you. It will curl up on itself then you turn it inside out over your finger.

STEP 6: Repeat this process with each piece of dough until you have enough orecchiette for your desired serving size.

How long to cook homemade orecchiette

To cook your homemade orecchiette al dente you should poceed like any other kind of pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the orecchiette to the boiling water and stir gently so that they do not stick together. You will know they are ready when they are rising to the surface, this will take approximately 7-9 minutes.  Once cooked, drain the pasta thoroughly and serve immediately with your favorite sauce. Always preserve a cup of the pasta cooking water – aka liquid gold!

Which Sauce goes better with orecchiette?

There are many orecchiette recipes you can create once you have finished shaping your homemade ones. You can use your favorite pasta sauce. A classic pasta sauce is broccoli rabe and pecorino cheese or broccoli and pork sausage, but their shapes goes well with so many sauces from tomato sauce, to pesto to wild creations. Since I love to eat by the season I picked a Wild Ramp Pesto Sauce.

Here for you my favorite sauces to pair this little ears wonder:

Classic Pesto

Broccoli and Sausage

Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce (Sugo al Pomodoro)

Cauliflower and Anchovies Pasta

Or you can always use one of my pasta recipes or sauces.

How to serve orecchiette?

For this wild ramps pesto orecchiette I will serve a spring side salad and maybe some meatballs for starters or some zucchini fritters. 

How to store orecchiette?

if you have dried them very well, the orecchiette can be stored in a cool, dry place for about a month.

Alternatively, you can freeze them. Place them on a tray well spaced out and put them in the freezer. After about an hour they will have already frozen a little. Then you can transfer them to freezer bags, which are more practical. It’s not necessary to thaw the orecchiette before cooking, but you can dip them directly into boiling salted water while still frozen. Freezing will work if you make a big batch.

Please let me know in the comments how you like this Homemade Orecchiette pasta recipe, and if you make it please leave a star rating! I would really love to hear from you!

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