Orecchiette, which means "little ears" in Italian, is a traditional pasta shape that has its roots in the southern regions of Italy, particularly in Puglia. The history of orecchiette pasta dates back several centuries, and it is closely tied to the culinary traditions of the Italian people. Orecchiette is strongly associated with the region of Puglia, located in the southeastern part of Italy. Puglia's capital, Bari, is often considered the birthplace of orecchiette. The origins of orecchiette can be traced back to the medieval period. The pasta shape is thought to have been created by local housewives who used simple ingredients like durum wheat semolina and water to make their pasta.

Prep Time30 minsCook Time30 minsTotal Time1 hr

AuthorPeterYields2 ServingsHalf (1 Serving)Default (2 Servings)Double (4 Servings)Triple (6 Servings)CategoryMeat, Pasta, Pork

Ingredients

Sauté

 salsiccia(casing removed, separate meat)

 ½ red onion(thin slices)

 spinach (frozen or fresh)

 1 garlic clove(minced, optional)

 dry chili flakes(optional)

Fry

 1 tbsp olive oil(or more)

 orecchiette pasta(pre-cooked and room-temp)

...add

 4 tbsp tomato pasata

 add previously prepared mixture with salsiccia

 freshly ground black pepper

 ½ cup chicken stock

 3 tbsp parmigiano reggiano(reserve some for serving)

Frying orecchiette, like other types of pasta, likely emerged as a practice in response to the desire to transform and repurpose leftover or cooked pasta in a flavorful way. Frying pasta brings interesting texture and bit of the crunch in to the dish.

Directions