With a slightly chewy, al dente texture, homemade orecchiette pasta is truly one of the most wonderful shapes to enjoy! If you're looking to make orecchiette from scratch, this is the recipe for you. I've got lots of step-by-step photos and tips to guide you along the way. Let's get started!
You all know I love making homemade pasta, from malloreddus to homemade pappardelle to egg yolk ravioli. I'm fascinated by learning about the cultural histories and methods behind various pasta shapes.
But my favorite shape, by far, has got to be orecchiette. Orecchiette pasta has a thicker edge and a thinner, rougher inside surface, forming a cup-like shape. The chewy texture is so satisfying, and it's fun to pair with lots of different sauces.
What are Orecchiette?
Orecchiette, meaning “little ears,” is an adorable little pasta from Puglia. They're traditionally cooked with broccoli rabe (or ‘cima di rapa’ in Italian) and sausage.
They're also served in a tomato sauce with shaved ricotta salata. They have a unique shape, perfect for small pieces of meat or vegetables to nestle inside.
Of all the shapes I've tried, they're a bit more complicated, but don't worry! After years of pasta making, including teaching these in my cooking classes, I’ve garnered many tips and tricks so that you, too, can succeed! With a little practice, you'll have these down in no time.
Ingredient Notes
Orecchiette is made from a simple flour and water dough. Let's talk details below.
- Semolina Flour: Semolina flour is made by milling hard durum wheat flour. Its coarse texture and high protein content make it an ideal flour for adding a chewy texture. I recommend a finer grind (look for 'semola rimacinata' flour) for a smoother dough, but you can also use standard semolina.
- Water: Kneading the flour with lukewarm water hydrates the dough more quickly and helps develop gluten.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card.
Sauce Suggestions
Looking for a delicious pairing for this pasta? I've got a few options below!
- Calabrian Chili Sauce: A sweet, tangy, and spicy sauce
- Blistered Tomato Pasta: The perfect sauce when cherry tomatoes are in season
How to Make Homemade Orecchiette
I've got a full post with step-by-step photos on how to make the actual dough (Semolina Pasta Dough), but I've summarized the key details in Step 1 below.
Step 1 - Make the dough: To a large bowl, add flour. Make a well in the center of the flour, and pour in the water. Using a fork or your hands, slowly begin incorporating some of the flour into the water until a thick paste forms.
Alternate between adding in the remaining flour mixture and kneading until a shaggy dough forms. Use a bench scraper to gather any loose bits from the work surface and your hands.
Once the dough forms a solid mass, transfer it to a clean surface and begin kneading. Press the heel of your hand into the dough to stretch it, then rotate it 45 degrees counterclockwise.
Continue kneading until the dough is soft and smooth, about 10 - 15 minutes. This extended kneading is necessary to build enough gluten for a chewy texture due to the high protein content. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let the dough rest for an hour before using.
Step 2: Unwrap the dough ball, and use a sharp knife to slice off a chunk about the width of two fingers. Keep the remaining dough tightly wrapped.
Step 3: Use your hands to roll the dough into a thin snake about ½ inch in diameter. The easiest way is to lay your hands over the dough and spread your fingers. Roll the dough upwards and outwards using your fingers and the tops of your palms.
Step 4: Using a pastry board or wooden cutting board, slice the snake into ½-inch pieces. Grab one of the pieces and a serrated butter knife. Place the piece so that the cut (rougher side) faces up.
Step 5: Lightly dig the serrated edge of the knife into the top edge of the piece, ensuring there's a small gap between the knife and the top-most part. Apply more force as you continue dragging the knife at a 45-degree angle toward you until the pasta curls into itself.
TIP: If you're more of a perfectionist like me, you'll likely want the shape to be as circular as possible. Through experimentation, I discovered that one way to achieve a more even shape is by dragging the knife over the cut, 'rougher' edge of the piece instead of the smooth side.
Step 6: Peel open the piece; you should be left with a rough texture on the inner side.
Step 7: Prop the smooth side of the orecchiette on your thumb, using your fingers to gently mold the shape over your thumb to form a cup-like shape. Arrange the shaped orecchiette in a single layer on a lightly floured tray, and repeat the process to create the remaining pasta.
In the photo above, you can see the evolution of the shape from start to finish.
Expert Tips
- Do a solid knead. Although kneading for at least 10 minutes may seem tedious, it's crucial! Kneading develops the gluten in the pasta, resulting in a delightful chewy texture without any doughiness or undercooked taste.
- Let the dough rest. The dough needs to rest and relax for an hour so that it's easier to work with when forming the shapes. Otherwise, it tends to spring back!
- "Scrape" the dough to form the best shape. Firmly press the knife's serrated edge into the dough, as this action scrapes and creates a rough texture, essential for sauces to cling to!
Storage and Cooking Instructions
Short-term storage: Freshly made orecchiette can be stored at room temperature for 3 - 4 hours on a semolina-dusted baking sheet.
For long-term storage, I recommend freezing. Generously dust a baking sheet with semolina flour, then arrange the pasta in an even layer. Freeze for 1 hour, then sift out excess flour and transfer pasta to Ziploc freezer bags. Seal and freeze for up to 2 months.
For more details, check out my article on 'storing fresh pasta'.
Cooking Instructions
Fresh: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 1 - 2 minutes until the orecchiette float to the surface then boil for an additional 2 - 3 minutes until chewy and al dente. Transfer pasta with a slotted spoon to your sauce pot, coat in sauce, and serve.
From frozen: Follow the instructions for fresh pasta, but add 1 - 2 minutes to the cooking time.
Recipe FAQs
They are both handmade pasta shapes from Southern Italy, but the former has a hollowed-out, hot dog-like shape, while the latter has a cup-like shape.
Interestingly, cavatelli is essentially the precursor to orecchiette; that is, if you invert cavatelli on your thumb, it'll form orecchiette.
Semolina flour has a higher gluten content, so it gives the shape more structure and chew. If you use all-purpose flour, you won't have as much of a "toothsome" texture, and it will overcook much more quickly.
You don't need any special equipment! All you need is a bowl, a wooden cutting board, a serrated knife, and a baking sheet.
The dough needs to rest to allow the gluten to relax. If you don't let it rest, it'll be much harder to roll out and shape.
For even more cozy recipes, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter.
Happy eating! Love, KarishmaHomemade Orecchiette Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 320 g semola rimacinata flour, or semolina flour | plus more for dusting
- 160 ml lukewarm water
Instructions
- Make the dough: To a large bowl, add 320 g semola rimacinata flour. Make a well in the center, and add 160 ml lukewarm water into the well. With your hands or a fork, slowly begin incorporating a little bit of flour into the water. As you continue incorporating flour, the water will transform from a loose liquid into a thick paste. Alternate between adding in the remaining flour mixture and kneading until a shaggy dough forms. Use a bench scraper to gather any loose bits from the work surface and your hands.
- Knead and rest: Once the dough forms a solid mass, transfer it to a clean surface and begin kneading. Press the heel of your hand into the dough to stretch it, then rotate it 45 degrees counterclockwise. Continue kneading until the dough is soft and smooth, about 10 - 15 minutes. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let the dough rest at least 1 hour up to 2 hours before using.
- Roll: Lightly flour a baking sheet with semolina, and set aside. Cut off a piece of dough the width of two fingers, and put the remaining dough under an overturned bowl or wrap with plastic wrap, to keep it from drying out. The easiest way is to lay your hands over the dough and spread your fingers. Roll the dough upwards and outwards using your fingers and the tops of your palms.On the work surface, roll the piece of dough into a rope ½-inch wide. Cut the rope into ½-inch pieces.
- Form the pasta: To form the orecchiette, take a square piece and place it so that the cut (rougher side) faces up.Grab a serrated butter knife, lightly dig the serrated edge into the top edge of the piece, ensuring there's a small gap between the knife and the top-most part. Apply more force as you continue dragging the knife at a 45-degree angle toward you until the pasta curls into itself.Peel the outside edges slightly to form a circle shape, then invert on your thumb, pressing the dough all around to finish forming the circular shape. Transfer to the baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Cook: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 1 - 2 minutes until the orecchiette float to the surface then boil for an additional 2 - 3 minutes until chewy and al dente. Transfer pasta with a slotted spoon to your sauce pot, coat in sauce, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Although kneading for at least 10 minutes may seem tedious, it's crucial! Kneading develops the gluten in the pasta, resulting in a delightful chewy texture without any doughiness or undercooked taste.
- The dough needs to rest and relax for an hour so that it's easier to work with when forming the shapes. Otherwise, it tends to spring back!
- Firmly press the knife's serrated edge into the dough, as this action scrapes and creates a rough texture, essential for sauces to cling to!
- Short-term storage: Freshly made orecchiette can be stored at room temperature for 3 - 4 hours on a semolina-dusted baking sheet.
- For long-term storage, I recommend freezing. Generously dust a baking sheet with semolina flour, then arrange the pasta in an even layer. Freeze for 1 hour, then sift out excess flour and transfer pasta to Ziploc freezer bags. Seal and freeze for up to 2 months. Cook directly from frozen, but add 1 - 2 minutes to the cooking time.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Karishma
Owner's Review: Though it requires a bit more practice, orecchiette is such a fun pasta to make at home when you get the hang of things!