CHIAVARI, Italy – I saw a Facebook post a few days ago of an
adorable little girl sitting at a kitchen table with pasta and pasta dough
spread out in front of her. Her grandmother was teaching her how to make
orecchiette. The photo made me smile. It reminded me of a trip I made to Bari a
few years back where I saw grandmothers and granddaughters sitting at tables outside
their houses in the old city, doing exactly the same thing - making orecchiette.
Bari, Italy |
Pugliese food is simple to make and simply delicious. There are no
complicated sauces or techniques needed, just some good Pugliese olive oil, a
little garlic and the freshest ingredients you can get your hands on. Right now
you can find beautiful, blood red pomodorini – cherry tomatoes - in
the markets across Italy, which makes it the perfect time to make Orecchiette
with Pomodorini.
Orecchiette are a very old pasta that originated in Bari sometime
during the twelfth and thirteenth century. The ear like shape allowed them to
dry faster, and they could be stored in case of a future famine, an all too
frequent problem in Europe in the 1300 and 1400’s.
It's a Family Affair |
Living in Italy these past years, I’ve learned that it’s best to
keep fresh pasta in the refrigerator, Fresh pasta has to ‘breathe’ so it’s best
not to cover it with Saran Wrap or other clingfilms, or keep it in a closed
plastic container. And while paper food containers or wrapping it in cooking paper
are both OK, the best way to keep it is on a ceramic plate covered with
a clean cotton cloth.
As for cooking fresh pasta, you need plenty of salted water, and
it’s important to put the pasta in when the water is boiling. When you drop the
pasta in, the water stops boiling so you have to turn up the heat in order to
bring it back to a boil. Once the water is boiling again, adjust the heat so it
boils gently. It’s not a good idea to cover the pot when cooking pasta as the
water will boil over.
Orecchiette with Rucola and Pomodorini |
Filled pasta is another story. It should be dropped in the water
just before it comes to a boil, and then cooked with care. If it’s cooked too
long, or if the heat is too high, the pasta shapes may break or split open.
Orecchiette with
Pomodorini
Serves 4
400 grams of fresh orecchiette
300 grams di arugula (rucola in Italian/ aka rocket) or another
type of bitter green
10 mature cherry tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
10 black olives
1/2 of a hot chili pepper or red pepper flakes
50 grams of aged
ricotta (or
pecorino)
Extravergine Italian olive oil
salt
2 tablespoons of toasted breadcrumbs (optional)
Wash the arugula under
running water and dry. Boil it in salted water for about 2 minutes, remove with
a slotted spoon and let cool. Then squeeze well to remove excess water. Save
the cooking water for the pasta.
Wash and peel the cherry
tomatoes, cut them into quarters and place in a colander. Sprinkle with coarse
salt and set aside. Peel the garlic and dice it, along with the pitted olives.
Heat 4 tablespoons of
extravirgin olive oil in a saucepan, add the chopped garlic and olives, the
drained cherry tomatoes, chili pepper, stir and cook over moderate heat for
about 5 minutes.
Add the arugula, season
with salt and turn off the flame. Cook the orecchiette in the same water that
the arugula cooked in. When the pasta is cooked, (if you are using fresh
orecchiette they cooked rather quickly), drain and put them back in the pot and
add the sauce. Mix and cook together for 30 seconds. Turn off the flame. Serve
with a grated ricotta or pecorino, a few drops of olive oil and a sprinkle of
toasted breadcrumbs.
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