Orecchiette — LIFeSTYLE (2024)

FAQs

What are some fun facts about orecchiette pasta? ›

Orecchiette pasta originates from Puglia during the 12^th and 13^th centuries and remains popular throughout Italy to this day. The word 'orecchiette' means 'little ears' Some food historians argue that this pasta arrived in Southern Italy from Provence during the 13th century with the Angevins.

Orecchiette, 'little ears', are small, slightly unevenly shaped saucers, and good for sticky sauces.

Orecchiette (Italian: [orekˈkjɛtte]; sg. : orecchietta; from Italian orecchia, lit. 'ear', and -etta) are a pasta typical of the Apulia region of Italy. Their name comes from their shape, which resembles a small ear.

A typical Puglian pasta, orecchiette (pronounced o-rek-kyet-teh) were named for their shape, which resembles little ears. Made only from semolina, water and salt, their rough surface holds onto sauces and allows them to be prepared in a variety of ways.

The word farfalle means butterflies in Italian and is commonly referred to as bow tie pasta because of its shape. To make farfalle, simply cut fresh pasta into small rectangles and pinch the centers together to form the unique shape.

Orecchiette Origns

Their origin is a mystery, in fact there are no documents that certify their birth. Since there is no official documentation certifying its origin, the hypotheses concerning the invention of orecchiette are mostly based on local stories, anecdotes and traditions that have been handed down over time.

Vermicelli is very fine, long strands of pasta – like a skinny spaghetti – often used in soups. The name means 'little worms' in Italian (though in America, it is described more ethereally 'angel hair' pasta). It is available fresh or dried.

capellini — this is a very thin, long noodle, sometimes called “angel hair pasta” by English speakers. It's fitting, then, that it's the diminutive for “hair” in Italian, capelli.

The “l*ttle ears” of the pasta world, orecchiette hails from a region of southern Italy called Apulia. It's traditionally made with thin rounds of fresh pasta dough that's gently pressed with the thumb to make small shells—perfect for cradling all that yummy sauce.

What pasta looks like a flying saucer? ›

Dischi volanti ['diski vɔ'lanti] is a short, flat pasta named after the more or less dubious sightings of saucers in the sky containing exoearthly creatures. It dates back from 1947 when the pilot Kenneth Arnold spotted a flying saucer in America.

Like many pastas from Italy, orecchiette also goes by different names depending on where you are in the country. Common names this popular pasta goes by include recchietedde and chiancaredde. And, much like its name, the size of orecchiette varies from place to place, too.

The name ravioli comes from the Italian word “riavvolgere” meaning “to wrap” and that is exactly what ravioli is all about. Ravioli is a pasta dish which can be stuffed with savory or sweet fillings, and like many Italian cuisines, preparing ravioli is a labor of love.

Su filindeu pasta is the stuff of legends. For over 300 years, only a handful of women from the remote Sardinian town of Nuoro have known the secret to making this unfathomably intricate pasta. That makes it the rarest and one of the most expensive pasta shapes on earth.