Orecchiette (little ears) is a specialty of Apulia, in southeastern Italy.

　　This recipe was created to accompany Orecchiette with Sausage and Red Pepper Sauce and Orecchiette with Red Wine Veal Sauce.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 1 1/2 pounds

　　2 cups semolina

　　2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

　　1 cup lukewarm water

　　

Step 1

In a large bowl stir together semolina and flour and form a well in center. Add water and a generous pinch of salt to well and with a fork gradually incorporated semolina mixture until a dough is formed (some of the mixture will not be incorporated). On a work surface knead dough, incorporating more semolina mixture from bowl as necessary and discard any hard clumps, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Divide dough into 8 pieces and wrap separately in plastic wrap.

　　

Step 2

Line each of 2 trays with a dry kitchen towel and dust you hands with some semolina mixture. Remove plastic wrap from 1 piece of dough and roll between you hands to create a rope 3 to 4 feet long and 1/2 inch wide. Put rope on a work surface and with a sharp knife cut into 1/2-inch pieces, separating pieces as cut so they are no longer touching. Lightly toss cut pieces with a little semolina mixture.

　　

Step 3

Put each cut piece of dough, a cut side down, in palm of hand and form a depression by pressing thumb of other hand into dough and twisting slightly. Arrange orecchiette on a kitchen-towel-lined tray. Make more orecchiette with remaining 7 pieces of dough in same manner, transferring to kitchen-towel-lined trays. Orecchiette may be made 2 days ahead and chilled on towel-lined trays, covered with plastic wrap.