I have fabulous memories of these hats and they came out just the way I remembered them from a child and what a difference they are homemade from scratch.
Much easier to make these than I expected.
I have no idea what took me so long to try making them!
Orecchiette (pronounced [orekˈkjette]; singular orecchietta; from Italian orecchia, meaning 'ear', and -etta, meaning 'small') are a pasta that is popular in Southern Italy.
Special Occasions
My son decided I should make him something special for his 28th birthday, so what better time than to finally try this homemade pasta dish.
Happy Birthday, Curt, my youngest baby is 28 already!
He ate two plates full..... and said when you make these again?
They made a pound and a half...but made lots of extra for tomorrow and a special Happy Father's Day to all my male readers!!!
Lucky for me Curt's birthday always falls around the same time so we celebrate both!
A Long Long Time Ago
Back in the 1960s, I would watch my Aunt make this pasta.
As a little girl of 5 or 6, I use to go to my Aunt Anna's house and watch her make these with her five daughters.
I so wished I had gotten her recipe and was old enough to understand and learn her tricks of the trade, hers were the best.
For years I wanted to learn how to make them, but never had the opportunity to learn her special homemade hat recipe.
Dad's Mom
Even though my Aunts were the best and always will be.
I decided to try a homemade pasta recipe my grandmother Victoria left behind that her daughter had written down and used this one.
Although I could never duplicate the art and talent of my Aunt Anna's, this version is a close second.
I made these with fond memories of my childhood years watching her in amazement by transforming dough into these fun shaped she called hats.
The Inspiration
I always find it comforting that the inspiration for food goes back to what we grew up on.
Either you fall in love with certain foods and they remain etched in your mind forever or you hate them.
I loved these and found this pasta to be great fun to eat and watch them be made.
An art that seems to get lost in time for each generation.
Nicknames
I actually had purchased some while I was up there and never knew the real name that of course these are famously known as Orecchiette.
So here is my version, and grandma's recipe for pasta she would use in her soup recipes but made rings with these.
They have so many nicknames, little ears, hats, bowls, small ears and I never knew the real name for this pasta as being orecchiette pasta, until I started cooking!
I only knew them by the name hats.
Curt really enjoyed these!
A little dense but still soft pasta
Small pieces of dough made into a hat shaped pasta.
The pieces of dough are sliced in 1/8 inch pieces and then with your index finger make a well forming a hat.
Remember to keep all the remaining dough covered not to dry it out while shaping your pasta
Also, Try My Other Favorite Pasta Recipes
Homemade manicotti
Homemade ravioli
Homemade cavatelli
Homemade Orecchiette (Hats) Recipe
Yield: 8

Homemade Orecchiette (Hats) Recipe
A fun pasta shaped with many names like ears, little ears, bowls and more. This orecchiette pasta is a staple in Southern Italy. The recipe is very very old.
prep time: 1 H & 20 Mcook time: 35 Mtotal time: 1 H & 55 M
ingredients:
- 1 cup semolina flour (I keep my unused semolina in the freezer to keep it fresh)
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- plus 3 to 4 tablespoon
instructions:
How to cook Homemade Orecchiette (Hats) Recipe
- In a heavy-duty electric mixer using a mixing bowl, combine the semolina, flour, salt and add 3/4 cups of water, mix with a flat beater till this forms a ball.
- Add 3 to 4 additional tablespoon of warm water if too dry, this dough needs to be smooth and elastic to the touch, but still soft.
- Note: this may take 20 minutes or so by hand. Form the dough into a ball and cover.
- To make the Orecchiette hats, cut off a small handful of the dough (keep the rest of the dough covered).
- On a lightly floured board, roll the dough into a rope about 3/4 inch in diameter.
- Cut the rope into slices no more than 1/8 inch thick to form small circles of dough with your index finger make a well inside each piece to form a hat shaped dough pasta.
- Repeat with all of the remaining dough, placing the Orecchiette on a lightly floured cookie sheet as they are made.
- You can now freeze these on the cookie sheet and bag for later use, or cook after they dry for about an hour.
- The Orecchiette is cooked in salt and a little longer than most pasta till they float to the top of the boiling water.
- To freeze, spread over a cookie sheet, freeze and after totally frozen put into bags and freeze up to three months.
- Makes about 1 1/2 pounds fresh pasta.
- Serve with plenty Traditional Sunday Sauce, some Braciole topped with a good grade of grating cheese.
Calories
259
259
Fat (grams)
13
13
Sat. Fat (grams)
9
9
Carbs (grams)
22
22
Net carbs
11
11
Sugar (grams)
4
4
Happy B-Day Curt. Beautiful homemade pasta. Great job.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
the "hats"are so cute!happy birthday for your son,claudia!
ReplyDeleteHow pretty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I so wish you could feed me.
ReplyDeleteMy hats off to you for making your own pasta.
ReplyDeleteThis pasta looks amazing. Maybe one day, I'll take the leap and make homemade pasta.
ReplyDeleteI just made a dish with orecchiette the other day. I so wish I had this recipe then. But I've got it bookmarked now.
ReplyDeleteThese mini hats look so adorable! I love the homemade one, they are so fresh and delicious.
ReplyDeleteI love orecchiette, they look so fun to make! Happy birthday Curt - I would eat 2 platefuls as well!!
ReplyDeletePerfect little pastas...Happy Birthday to your son:)
ReplyDeleteAhhhh, nice birthday! Nice mom! GREG
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Curt! Pasta party for today - yum yum!.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend,
Gera
We call these 'little ears' - it's been such a long time since I've eaten them! Your home-made ones look completely delicious! What a treat for you son on his b-day. Happy Birthday Curt!
ReplyDeleteHappiest Birthday to your son! You did a brilliant job on these. While I have made homemade pasta before, I have never attempted to make orecchiette, so kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteThese are so pretty and just scrumptious! Happy birthday to Kurt!
ReplyDeleteLove pasta, and this looks great. Never tried to make my own homemade pasta though....will have to give it a try. I have yet to understand the diff between red sauce and Sunday sauce.
ReplyDeleteLovely! Just like the chinese pinched noodles that I just made.
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love it when they ask for birthday food and it turns out perfect! Happy Birthday to your baby and thanks for sharing the recipe. Been thinking about some home made pasta. you make this one look so easy I just have to give it a try!
ReplyDeleteI make homemade orecchiette and love them. Takes a little time but not difficult and worth the effort. Like your recipe and will try it.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Patricia
Oh Claudia, not only did you make homemade pasta, but you made my favorite. I love orecchiette-it feels so good in the mouth!
ReplyDeleteHappy Father's Day to you all.
*Oop, and happy b-day to Curt!
How wonderful to reach into your past and making something with so many memories attached to it! These little hats are fantastic...looks like something fun to do with the kids!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Curt! Great job on the orecchiette... lol our hats off to you on this delicious pasta.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to Curt - it looks as if he had a perfect one. I have never made orecchiette - and now will. I wish I had paid more attention when I was a wee one to my grandmother - but those were the years you took everything for grated. There's always something delicious waiting when I visit!
ReplyDeletereally late getting here and I see Greg beat me to it, "Hats off to ya" - Happy BDay Curt and Mama C, that's a wonderful dish...
ReplyDeleteOrecchiette is a special birthday treat! I love homemade pasta,beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThese look beautiful and delicious! I'm always up for new, fun pasta shapes :)
ReplyDeleteYum! I love homemade pasta and the shape of these is so cute! It looks like Curt had a great birthday.
ReplyDeleteThese look wonderful! I would want them for my BD too! He looks pretty content with his plateful.
ReplyDeleteLove homemade pasta..and these looks cooo cute! great job..
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to Curt, nice recipe, looks so yummy :)
ReplyDeleteI love orrecchiette! I think it means little ear in Italian. It's one of my favorite pasta shapes because it holds more sauce.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday! I'm sure it was happy with this beautiful orechiette dish! they do look like tiny ears :o) - Great job Claudia!
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Birthday Curt! This looks so comforting and delicious Claudia. You're making me crave pasta again!
ReplyDeleteThese are perfect! I have been wanting to attempt making orecchiette for a long time and you have given me the inspiration to do so.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic tutorial! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGreat little morsels of pasta!
ReplyDeleteBon appetit!
=:~)
P.S. Can you tell I have a long road of catching up to do?