Orecchiette Pasta With Margherita Genoa Salami 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:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
• While the pasta cooks, in a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil and salami over medium-low. Cook, stirring often, until crisp and golden-brown, 7 to 10 minutes. (Don't be tempted to raise the heat, as you need the fat to fully render from the salami to form the sauce.) Remove from heat and stir in the black pepper until fragrant. Set aside until the pasta's ready.
• Add 1½ cups pasta water to the salami and simmer over medium-low heat, shaking and stirring until the water emulsifies with the fat to create a homogeneous liquid, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Add the cooked pasta and pecorino, and cook, shaking the pot and stirring vigorously until the cheese is melted and the sauce glosses the noodles, 2 to 4 minutes. If the sauce is thin, keep simmering. If you can't see the sauce in the bottom of the pot or on the noodles, add more pasta water and keep stirring over medium-low.
• Serve right away, with more pecorino on top.