Best Handmade Orecchiette Recipes

HANDMADE ORECCHIETTE

Steps:

• Mound the flour on a clean work surface. Sprinkle with the salt and toss with your fingers, then make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the beaten egg. Quickly combine with your fingers and as the dough starts to come together, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, up to 3 tablespoons total. Keep kneading until you get a solid but soft ball of dough, about 5 minutes. Place it in a bowl and cover with a damp towel for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll them each out on a floured surface to make a skinny log about 10-inches-long. Pinch off a small piece of dough, just enough to cover your fingertip, and roll the dough against the floured work surface with your thumb, creating a "little ear". Transfer the orecchiette to a large piece of parchment paper. Keep pinching and making the orecchiette with your thumbs until no dough is left.
• In the meantime, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Pick up the sides of the parchment paper to slide the fresh pasta into the water. Boil until the pasta floats to the top, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Reserve about half a cup of pasta water, and drain the rest.
• Combine the pasta with the oil and 2 tablespoons pasta water in a large bowl (add more pasta water if it seems dry!). Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and divide between 2 dinner bowls, or among 4 smaller bowls. (Our kids eat only a tiny bit, so we could still call this 2 servings.)
• Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves!

HANDMADE ORECCHIETTE WITH MORTADELLA AND PEA SAUCE

Steps:

• Form the orecchiette:
• Mound 1 2/3 cups flour into a 7"-wide circle on a clean work surface. Form a 3" well in the center. Add eggs, oil, and salt to the well. Using a fork, slowly incorporate flour closest to well to make a paste, gradually pulling in as much flour as you can with the fork. Using a bench scraper or your hands, incorporate remaining flour, then knead with your hands, adding 1 tsp. water at a time if necessary, until a smooth, pliable dough forms.
• Fold top of dough toward you, then press down with the heel of your hands. Rotate dough 90 degrees. Continue kneading with this motion until dough is very smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Form dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Using bench scraper or knife, cut ball into 3 equal-sized pieces. Pinch off a walnut-sized piece from 1 piece to work with, then wrap all remaining dough tightly in plastic wrap. Starting from the center outward, roll walnut-sized piece into a long, thin rope about 1/3" wide, preferably on a wooden surface to make rolling easier. Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut rope into 1/3" pieces, then position them cut sides up. Using 2 fingers, press down to form 2 little indentations in a thin, flattened oval disc about 1/8" thick. Repeat with remaining dough, covering dough and formed orecchiette with plastic as you go. Lightly toss orecchiette with flour, then cover with plastic and let sit at room temperature up to 4 hours.
• Make the mortadella and pea sauce and assemble:
• Heat oil over medium-low in a large skillet. Cook garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time. Cook until sauce is thickened and creamy, 8-10 minutes. Immediately stir in mortadella and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Keep warm over very low heat.
• Cook orecchiette in a large pot of generously salted boiling water just until pasta floats and is cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to skillet with sauce. Increase heat to medium, then add peas, half of the mint, and 4 Tbsp. cheese. Toss gently to coat; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among bowls and top with remaining mint and 2 Tbsp. cheese.