Recipe
Orecchiette with Senatore Cappelli semolina
- Time: About 1 hour, plus drying time.
- 2 ingredients
Orecchiette are a typical pasta shape from Puglia, made from durum wheat flour – in this case Senatore Cappelli semolina – and water. Their round, hollow shape looks like little ears, which is where the name comes from. They have a rough surface and a thin centre with a thicker rim, perfect for holding all kinds of sauces.
Method
Pour the semolina into a bowl, make a well in the centre and slowly pour in lukewarm water, working the dough with your hands: it should be neither too firm nor too soft. That is the secret of perfect orecchiette.
Let the dough rest wrapped in a cotton cloth for 10–15 minutes.
Take the dough and shape it into small balls, then into thin logs. With a round-tipped knife, press each small piece starting from the top edge and drag it firmly so that it curls up; then turn it inside out over your thumb, pushing the centre out and leaving the edges as they are.
And there you have your orecchiette!
Lay them out on a wooden board dusted with semolina and let them dry for about 1 hour: the pasta will become firmer and drier on the surface. Then leave it in the air for about another 40 minutes.
Once ready, you can keep them in food bags in the fridge for 2–3 days, or freeze them.
Cooking
Cook the orecchiette in plenty of salted water for about 5 minutes, until they float. We recommend tasting them to check they are done.
Serve them with the classic fresh tomato sauce and Apulian sheep’s ricotta, or make the traditional orecchiette with turnip tops and extra virgin olive oil, also from Puglia. They work in countless pasta dishes: give it a try!
Special thanks to Grandma Dina, who makes her orecchiette with Senatore Cappelli semolina using this recipe almost every Sunday. ❤
Recipe published on 16 October 2020
