Orecchiette

Orecchiette (Italian for “little ears”) is a small, ear-shaped pasta from Puglia in southern Italy. Its shape is perfect for catching sauces, especially chunky or vegetable-based ones. Here’s a versatile base recipe with a few delicious variations.

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🍝 Basic Orecchiette Pasta Recipe (with Classic Sauce Ideas)

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📝 Ingredients (for 4 servings):

• 400g (14 oz) dried orecchiette pasta

• Salted water (for boiling)

• Olive oil

• Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan (optional, for topping)

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🔪 Popular Orecchiette Sauce Options:

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🍃 1. Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage (Classic Pugliese dish)

Ingredients:

• 2–3 Italian sausages (mild or spicy), casings removed

• 1 bunch broccoli rabe (rapini), chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, sliced

• Pinch of chili flakes

• Olive oil

• Salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Boil pasta until al dente. In the last 3 minutes, add chopped broccoli rabe to the water. Drain together, reserving some pasta water.

2. In a pan, brown sausage in olive oil. Add garlic and chili flakes.

3. Toss in pasta and broccoli rabe. Add pasta water as needed to loosen.

4. Serve with grated cheese and drizzle of olive oil.

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🍅 2. Orecchiette with Cherry Tomatoes & Burrata

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• Fresh basil

• Olive oil

• Burrata or fresh mozzarella

Instructions:

1. Sauté tomatoes in olive oil until they burst and release juice.

2. Toss in cooked orecchiette and garlic. Cook 1–2 min to blend.

3. Top with torn burrata and fresh basil.

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🧀 3. Orecchiette with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:

• Mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, etc.), sliced

• 1 shallot, minced

• 1/2 cup cream or ricotta

• Thyme or parsley

• Butter + olive oil

Instructions:

1. Sauté shallot and mushrooms in butter and olive oil.

2. Add herbs and cream, then toss with cooked orecchiette.

3. Top with black pepper and Parmesan.

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Would you like a from-scratch orecchiette dough recipe, or a vegan version of one of the sauces?