Orecchiette Recipe: Authentic Puglia Style

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to learn how to make orecchiette in the purest Puglian tradition with the grandmother of Dario, the owner of the incredible villa "tenuta_giotta" where I stayed during my last trip.

I learned that this pasta is made without eggs and that it only takes a few ingredients (and a lot of patience and skill!) to make them.

Here is the recipe exactly as it was shared with me—I haven't recreated it at home yet. To try making them yourself, you will need:

• 500 g 00 flour
• 500 g fine semolina flour
• 3 tbsp toasted flour (only for a richer, more full-bodied flavor; you can skip this step)
• 550 g hot water (but not boiling)

Instructions

1. Start by mixing the semolina and the flour together. Make a well in the center and add the water. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes.
2. Let the dough rest for half an hour under a clean kitchen towel.
3. Take a piece of dough and immediately cover the rest with the clean towel so it doesn't dry out (it must always remain covered).
4. Roll the piece of dough into thin ropes, just like in the video, and cut them into small pieces of about 1 cm (0.4 inches).
5. Using a knife, shape the orecchiette one by one.

1. Leave the pasta to air-dry without overlapping the pieces for at least an hour, or up to several hours (do not put them in the refrigerator).

Cooking & Serving

To cook them, simply boil them in a large pot of water for about 10 minutes. The exact cooking time will vary depending on the thickness.

For the sauce, Dario gave me a traditional Puglian way to serve them: cut cherry tomatoes in half, add fresh basil, fresh ricotta cheese, olive oil, and garlic. Without cooking the sauce, toss everything directly with the freshly drained, hot orecchiette.

A huge thank you to Dario and his family for sharing this recipe and these beautiful moments with me.