Orecchiette

 ( Cuisine Of Apulia ) 

Orecchiette (; : orecchietta; from Italian language orecchia, , and -etta) are a pasta typical of the Apulia region of Italy. Their name comes from their shape, which resembles a small ear.

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Description An orecchietta has the shape of a small dome, with its center thinner than its edge, and with a rough surface. Like other kinds of pasta, orecchiette are made with Durum and water. Eggs are rarely used. In traditional Southern Italian home cooking, the dough is rolled, then cut into cubes. Each cube is pressed with a knife, dragging it on the board and making it curl (making a Cavatelli). The shape is then inverted over the thumb.

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Names and variations In the vernacular of Taranto they are called recchietedde, or chiancaredde.

In Cisternino orecchiette are made with Durum; they are larger and take on a different shape, with deep internal ribs, very similar to an ear. They are defined recchie d' privte (). The typical dish of holidays is orecchiette with rabbit ragù.

Cavatelli, strascinati (strascinate in the Barese dialect) and cencioni are made like orecchiette, without the final step of forming a concave shape. Strascinati and cencioni are typically larger than orecchiette.

In China, a similar type of pasta is called 猫耳朵 ( māo ěr duǒ, ).

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Dishes Orecchiette are typically served with a meat such as pork, capers and a crisp white wine.

The traditional dish from Apulia is orecchiette alle cime di rapa, a dish of orecchiette and rapini, also called turnip tops. Broccoli or cauliflower are also widely used as an alternative. Particularly around Capitanata and Salento, orecchiette are traditionally also dressed with tomato sauce (al sugo), sometimes with miniature Meatball or a sprinkling of ricotta or ricotta forte.

The Italian cookbook Il cucchiaio d'argento ( The Silver Spoon)

suggests that orecchiette are ideal for vegetable sauces.

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Orecchiette in the 21st Century In 2019 The New York Times published an article entitled “A Crime of Pasta”. A restaurant in Bari, Italy was found to be using untraceable orecchiette. Bari is known for its streets lined with grandmother's “nonnas” selling homemade pasta. Under Italian law it is legal to sell small bags to individuals although without a license to sell, shipments to restaurants are illegal.

In 2023 Dolce and Gabbana filmed a commercial in Puglia for their Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria, and Alta Gioielleria collections. The handmade orecchiette was showcased in the commercial. The designer features the history of orecchiette on their website.

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See also

• List of pasta

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Sources

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External links

• Orecchiette with Broccoli, Anchovies and Cherry Tomatoes from www.recipesfromitaly.com

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