We ate Orecchiette, “little ears” daily during our days in Puglia. They are such a fun shape, they take some practice but are simple to make (with only a knife and your fingertips) and delicious to eat!
“Semolina pasta is our very favorite. Our favorite to make, to shape, to cook, and to eat. A semolina dough is made from hard durum wheat and water, and so has a very different consistency and feel than an egg and soft wheat (00 flour) pasta dough. It takes a bit of practice to get the dough to the right level of hydration; during our classes, we encourage people not to add too much water to the dough, which is the most common error for beginners. A dried, less hydrated dough is a bit challenging to bring together and knead, but pays off when it comes to shaping the pasta, whether it be for orecchiette, capon, or foglie d’ulivo.
Once you get the knack for making the dough, there are so many wonderful shapes you can make using a pasta machine, a dinner knife, a ridged gnocchi board, a thin metal rod, or just simply your fingers! Semolina pasta has a distinctly rustic mouthfeel and flavor, and is best serves with a simple sugo, pestos and sauces with olive oil, vegetables and herbs.”
Julie Marr and Francesco Creanza, Everyone At The Table
Orecchiette Made with Semolina
courtesy of Everyone At The Table
400 g semolina flour plus additional for the baking sheet
200 g tepid water
Place the semolina flour on a clean work surface, make a well in the centre and add the water reserving about 1 tablespoon or so, stirring with your hands until a dough is formed. If you have bits of flour that are difficult to incorporate into your dough add more water, a few drops at a time until a cohesive dough is formed. You may need a little more or a little less water depending on the humidity of your kitchen.
Knead the dough on a floured work surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.
Slice the round of dough into 2.5 cm (1-inch) thick slabs and roll each slab on a clean, dry work surface into a tube 6 mm (1⁄4 inch) thick and set aside. Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 2.5 cm (1-inch) long pieces.
Dust a baking sheet lightly with semolina and set aside. Place one pasta segment on your work surface with the cut end facing you. With the ridged side of a table knife, gently press on the end of the segment furthest away from you and continue pressing toward the other end of the segment, flattening the dough into a small disk (about 6 mm/1⁄4 inch thick) in the process.
Pick up the disk and invert it onto your index finger so that the side of the dough you pressed is facing down.
Use the fingers of your other hand to pull the edges of the dough around the index finger, forming a caplike-shaped ear. Place the pasta shape on the prepared baking sheet and repeat, shaping the remaining dough segments in the same way.
Use the orecchiette right away or cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate the pasta for up to one day.
To freeze, place the baking sheet in the freezer until the pasta is firm to the touch. Transfer the pasta to sealable plastic bags, or an airtight container, dusting off the excess semolina, and freeze for up to two weeks.
Leave a Reply