Orecchiette facts for kids
Orecchiette showing their typical shape and central depression
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| Type | Pasta |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Apulia |
| Main ingredients | Durum wheat, water |
Orecchiette are a special type of pasta from Apulia, a region in Southern Italy. Their name means "little ears" in Italian. This is because they look like small ears!
Contents
What are Orecchiette?
Orecchiette pasta pieces look like tiny domes. They are thinner in the middle and have a rough surface. This rough texture helps sauces stick to them!
How Orecchiette are Made
Like many other pastas, orecchiette are made from durum wheat and water. Eggs are almost never used in this pasta.
Traditionally, people make the dough by hand. They roll it out and cut it into small squares. Then, each square is pressed with a knife. This makes the dough curl up. Finally, the shape is turned over a thumb to create the "little ear" shape.
Different Names and Similar Pastas
In some parts of Italy, orecchiette have other names. In the city of Taranto, people call them recchietedde or chiancaredde.
"Priest's Ears"
In a town called Cisternino, orecchiette are made a bit differently. They are larger and have deeper lines inside. These are sometimes called recchie d' privte, which means "priest's ears." A popular holiday dish there is orecchiette with rabbit ragout (a rich meat sauce).
Pasta Cousins
Some other types of pasta are made in a similar way to orecchiette. These include Cavatelli, strascinati, and cencioni. The main difference is that these pastas are not shaped into a concave (curved inward) form. Strascinati and cencioni are usually bigger than orecchiette.
Interestingly, a similar pasta exists in China. It is called māo ěr duǒ, which means "cat's ears."
Popular Orecchiette Dishes
Orecchiette are often served with tasty meat sauces, like pork. Sometimes, capers (small pickled flower buds) are added.
Orecchiette with Turnip Tops
The most famous dish from Apulia is orecchiette alle cime di rapa. This is orecchiette served with rapini, also known as turnip tops. Sometimes, broccoli or cauliflower are used instead.
Tomato Sauce and More
In areas like Capitanata and Salento, orecchiette are also eaten with tomato sauce (called al sugo). You might find them with tiny meatballs or sprinkled with ricotta cheese. Sometimes, a stronger, aged ricotta called ricotta forte is used.
A famous Italian cookbook, Il cucchiaio d'argento (The Silver Spoon), says that orecchiette are perfect for vegetable sauces.
See also
In Spanish: Orecchiette para niños
