If there is a pasta shape that more than any other reveals its unequivocal origins, this is orecchietta. Only re-milled durum wheat semolina, water and a pinch of salt, nothing else is needed to prepare this all-Apulian delight which, depending on the size and area, takes on different names: "recchie", "recchietelle", "chianchiarelle" (di smaller size), "pocchette" (larger size), "strascinate".
The typical shape is that of a small conchetta, smooth inside and more wrinkled on the outside, almost reminiscent of a small ear, except in the case of the "strascenate", flat orecchiette, which are simply stretched (dragged, in fact) without being turned over same.
Although there are no documents that attest to its birth, orecchiette would have spread between the 12th and 13th centuries in the Bari area, inspired by some traditional sweets of the Jewish community, the Orecchie di Aman, or small pockets of fried pastry with a shape similar to an ear. Tradition has it that they are made by hand, simply using a knife and dragging the dough on the cutting board with a finger, in order to obtain the classic round and concave shape.
Unmissable on the tables of what is considered almost a collective ritual - the Apulian Sunday lunch -, orecchiette go perfectly with both vegetable-based condiments such as turnip greens or wild herbs, of which our countryside is particularly rich. , both with more elaborate sauces, such as the sumptuous ragù of meat rolls. But they are also excellent enjoyed with a simple sauce of fresh tomatoes, basil and salted ricotta.
Preparing orecchiette by hand is an art handed down from generation to generation, which requires a certain skill, since the success of the pasta depends very much on the slow but precise movements of the fingers, a skill that is acquired over time and after several attempts ... Just don't be discouraged by the first results that may not be perfect. Follow our recipe and our advice for preparation. Have fun and enjoy your meal!
Pour the flour on a pastry board, add a pinch of salt. Slowly, in the center, pour the water at room temperature (just warm). Start working with your hands until the flour has absorbed all the water. Continue to work for about ten minutes until a homogeneous and elastic mixture is obtained. Form a ball and let it rest for about 15 minutes covered with a cotton cloth. Obtain 1 cm thick loaves from which to cut small pieces of about 1 cm. Using a smooth blade knife, form shells and turn them over on themselves with the help of your fingers, to obtain the typical orecchietta shape.
