Fresh Semolina Orecchiette Recipes

Steps:

• Mix semolina flour and salt in a large bowl or on a marble work surface. Make a well in the center.
• Pour water into the well a little at a time, mixing it with the flour. Add as much water as needed to make a sticky but compact dough.
• Knead dough with your hands by flattening the ball, stretching it, and folding the top towards the center. Turn 45 degrees and repeat until dough is elastic and smooth, but not too soft, about 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into a ball. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before using.
• Work with one portion of dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered to keep it from drying out. Dust a work surface with semolina flour; roll out the dough to make a rope, about 1/3 inch thick.
• Cut off little 1/3-inch thick pieces. Pick up knife with a rounded tip. Carefully hold one side of the dough with your index finger. Hold the knife in your other hand. Gently drag the small piece of dough towards you. Lift up the knife by the end in such a way that you get a thicker edge. You'll obtain a small disk of dough, thinner in the centre. Press the disk gently against your thumb and it will curve.
• Proceed the same way with the rest of the dough. Transfer orecchiette onto a floured surface and sprinkle with more semolina flour. Do not overlap orecchiette or they will stick together. Let dry for about 30 minutes before cooking.

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!

Steps:

• Dissolve salt in warm water in a bowl. Place semolina flour into a separate bowl and add salted water. Mix together until dough becomes a ball you can work with, adding more flour or warm water as needed; mixture should be slightly wet, barely sticking to your hands.
• Knead dough until slightly more stiff. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Remove dough from the refrigerator and separate into 4 pieces. Use a small amount of semolina flour to dust your work table and work each piece of dough into a cylinder or snake shape. Dust your hands lightly with flour and pinch off a 1-inch piece of dough; make a dent using your thumb while rolling it away from you. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Let pasta sit for 7 to 8 minutes.
• Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil; place pasta into the boiling water and cook until pasta floats to the top, making sure not to stir, about 8 minutes. Scoop out cooked pasta using a slotted spoon from the water and transfer to a plate.

Steps:

• Stir together semolina, flour, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and make a well in center. Add lukewarm water to well and, using a fork, gradually stir in enough flour, pulling in flour closest to water, until a dough forms (some of flour mixture will not be incorporated). Transfer dough to a work surface.
• Sift remaining flour mixture in bowl through a medium-mesh sieve into another bowl, discarding any hard clumps.
• Knead dough, incorporating some of flour mixture as dough becomes sticky, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Divide dough into 8 pieces, then wrap each piece separately in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
• Line 2 large trays with dry clean kitchen towels (not terry cloth) and dust your hands with some remaining flour mixture. Remove plastic wrap from 1 piece of dough and roll dough on work surface to create a 1/2-inch-thick rope (2 to 3 feet long). Cut into 1/3-inch pieces with a sharp knife, separating pieces as cut so they do not touch. Lightly toss cut pieces with some remaining flour mixture.
• Put 1 piece of dough, a cut side down, on work surface (if necessary, reform round shape; keep remaining pieces covered with a clean kitchen towel). Dust your thumb with some flour mixture and press down on dough, pushing away from you and twisting thumb slightly to form an indented curled shape (like an ear). Transfer to a lined tray. Make more orecchiette with remaining cut pieces in same manner, transferring to lined tray. Repeat rolling, cutting, and forming with remaining 7 pieces of dough in same manner, transferring to trays.

Steps:

• Sift semolina and "00" flour together onto a large work surface to form a mound. Make a well in the center. Pour water into the well and add salt. Using a fork, slowly incorporate flours, beginning with inner rim of well, into the water until it forms a dough. Gather dough together to form a rounded mass. Begin kneading with the palms of your hand until dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Divide dough in half and wrap each with plastic wrap. Let rest 1 hour.
• Cut each piece of dough in half. Working with one piece at a time, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into 1-inch-thick strips and roll into 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut rope crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces and lightly dust with flour. Repeat process with remaining dough.
• Press each piece of dough along the blade of a butter knife and turn over with your thumb; place orecchiette on a floured baking sheet. Cover until ready to use. Repeat process with remaining pieces.

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.