Welcome to the kitchen of our urban farmhouse in Matino! Today we want to take you with us on a special journey into the heart of Salento and Puglia, to discover all the secrets of our most beloved pasta. Make yourselves comfortable — we're about to reveal a piece of our history, made of water, flour and family traditions.
Who invented orecchiette and why do they have this shape?
Although orecchiette are the undisputed symbol of our region, a very similar pasta arrived here in the Middle Ages from nearby France. But the typical "little dome" shape we all know wasn't born by chance: it was a super practical and economical invention!
Dragging the dough across the wooden board with the tip of a knife (and then turning it over the thumb) served two fundamental purposes in the past: it dried the pasta much faster and allowed it to be preserved intact for a very long time. It was ideal for getting through periods of famine or as provisions for sailors on long sea voyages. Today, this shape is perfect for another reason we all love: it's a genuine natural "spoon" that collects the sauce perfectly.
The questions we're asked most often in our workshops
During our hands-on workshops at the farmhouse, where we teach you to get your hands in the dough to make orecchiette, sagne and minchiareddhi, you always ask us wonderful questions. Here are the answers to get to know them in depth:
Where does the idea for the orecchiette shape come from?
It's a bit reminiscent of the conical roofs of our trulli, but above all, as the name itself suggests (in dialect called recchietelle), it resembles a small human ear. A rustic, charming shape created specifically to hold the sauce.
Why don't you use eggs and salt in the dough, only oil and water?
Ours is the true "poor cuisine" of the past. Eggs were precious — they were used to make sweets or traded at the market — so they weren't put into everyday pasta. We only use semolina flour, warm water and two tablespoons of our olive oil, which makes the dough nice and elastic. Salt? There's no need to add it to the flour — the cooking water will take care of giving everything the right flavour.
Why do you use durum wheat semolina specifically?
Because re-milled durum wheat semolina gives the pasta that nicely "chewy" and firm texture. It's the only secret to having an orecchietta that holds up perfectly to cooking and stays firm under the teeth, without ever becoming soft.
Why do you dry the pasta on the board before cooking it?
Letting it rest in the air makes it lose surface moisture. This way the shape "sets," the surface becomes even more porous (ideal for catching the sauce) and there's no risk of it falling apart when we drop it into boiling water.
Why is the typical sauce made with turnip tops?
It's a perfect marriage born from the land. Turnip tops grow abundantly in our fields during autumn and winter. The slightly sweet flavour of the durum wheat semolina pairs wonderfully with the faintly bitter, pungent note of the turnip top, creating a unique balance.
Why do they add anchovy to turnip tops in Bari, and we don't in Salento?
It all depends on the history of our territories! Bari is a seaside city with an important port, where salt-preserved fish (like anchovies) was part of the everyday shopping to add flavour. Here in the Salentine hinterland, tradition is historically more tied to the land and the countryside: good oil from our olives, vegetables from the garden and a pinch of chilli are all we need. Simple, clean and genuine.
Our farmhouse recipe
- Durum wheat semolina flour: 1 kg
- Extra virgin olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- Warm water: about 500 ml (half a litre)
Grandma's tip: this recipe is a general guideline. Remember that every brand of flour absorbs water differently, and a lot also depends on the humidity in the air that day! Pour the water in a little at a time and judge with your hands: the dough should become firm, smooth and pleasant to work.
A little curiosity: once upon a time, being able to make orecchiette quickly and all the same size was a real test for young women who wanted to get married! If you weren't skilled with the little knife on the board, the village elders would say you weren't ready to run a family yet.
Come and get your hands in the dough with us!
Do you want to find out whether you'd pass the "marriage test" and learn to move your hands just like our grandmothers did? Sign up for our Traditional Pasta Workshop: we'll reveal all the secrets of orecchiette, sagne and minchiareddhi.
If instead you'd rather relax and just think about eating, we'll be waiting for you at the table! Book a dinner with us and come taste orecchiette made by hand, one by one, by our legendary Nonna Tetta.