Homemade Orecchiette

Ingredients

400g semola flour (super fine semolina, there are no substitutes!)

185g warm water

Directions

Firstly it will really help if you check out the highlight I have on orecchiette on my instagram and I have a couple of reels too! Seeing a video helps a lot. See all the process photos above.

Weigh out your flour and either bring the dough together on the bench or in a bowl (in a bowl is a bit tidier and easier!)

You are going to make the dough exactly like an egg pasta dough. Make a well in the middle of the flour then pour the water in.

With a fork start mixing the water, bringing in little bits of flour from round the edges and mixing into the middle. Once it gets really thick in the middle start mixing it all together.

You want to create an even shaggy mix so just keep mixing, cutting the dough into little bits with a knife (or a bench scraper if you are doing it on the bench)

Once it is an even shaggy mix then ball it up by squeezing it together.

Knead for a few minutes until it has a dimpled texture (it will come together I promise)

Wrap tightly in clingfilm and rest for 10 mins

After 10 mins, continue kneading until you have a really nice smooth ball, another 3 or so mins.

Wrap tightly again and rest for at least 30 mins but preferably an hour or up to three.

Slice a piece of the dough ball and roll out into a long strand with your hands flat on a chopping board. (you can see this on multiple reels on my instagram!)

Once it is the width of a big finger then slice into 2cm pieces.

With a knife press down and drag quite firmly across the wooden board. It will curl up on itself then you turn it inside out over your finger. I use a deep frying thermometer to turn them out as I have long nails!

This takes practice so don't be disheartened if you don't get it first try. They will never look perfect either, it's a rustic hand rolled shape remember that!

Take some time to experiment with different pressure when dragging, you need to press more firmly than you think. If it isn't turning inside out well then it's too thick and you need to press harder.

Place the finished orecchiette on a baking tray lined with baking paper and dusted with course semolina.

Boil for two minutes!