• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cilantro Parsley
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Dinner
    • Sides
    • Appetizer
    • Instant Pot & Slow Cooker
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Buy The Prep Deck
  • Approachable Mexican, Latin and Italian Recipes
  • Modern Sidebar
  • Recipe Box
  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Box
  • Buy The Prep Deck
  • Subscribe
  • About Me
  • Instagram
  • Español
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Box
  • Buy The Prep Deck
  • Subscribe
  • About Me
  • Instagram
  • Español
×
Home » Recipes » Italian

Homemade Orecchiette

Published: Jul 3, 2020 · Modified: Mar 19, 2024 by Maxine Dubois · This post may contain affiliate links Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Homemade Orecchiette is made with flour, water, and salt and kneaded into a dough and shaped with your hands.

Homemade Orecchiette is made with flour, water, and salt and kneaded into a dough and shaped with your hands.

Making homemade orecchiette has been on my list of pastas to make from scratch! Since I love cooking broccoli rabe, orecchiette is known to compliment it best.

How to make Homemade Orecchiette

Place 4 cups of the flour on the counter and make a well. Add 1 ½ cup of water and 1 teaspoon of salt into it and using a fork, incorporate the flour into the water. Eventually, the mixture will become a dough. You can use a dough scraper to incorporate the rest of the flour. The dough might feel pretty dry but just stick with it until you get a ball. If it is too dry sprinkle water. If it is too sticky dust more flour onto your work surface and work it in. You want to end up with a ball that’s not too sticky and not too dry. Knead for 8-10 minutes, do not overknead or the pasta will become chewy. Cling wrap or keep the dough in Tupperware for one hour. This is important as it will help the dough become cohesive. 

After 1 hour, cut the dough into 8 pieces. Use one of the piece and keep the rest of the dough cling wrapped or in the Tupperware so it won’t dry up. 

Using the one piece, make a thin rope with your hands. Cut half inch sized pieces with a knife. Using your thumb, leave a thumb print of the small piece and then unfurl the piece over your thumb in the opposite direction to form a concave shape. Repeat with the remaining dough. 

Leave the orecchiette to rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and they will be ready to boil!

Feel free to try my Homemade Cavatelli and my Homemade Ravioli Florentine.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Homemade Orecchiette


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Maxine Dubois
  • Total Time: 2 H 5 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Homemade Orecchiette is made with flour, water, and salt and kneaded into a dough and shaped with your hands. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups of flour
  • 1 ½ cups of water
  • 1 teaspoon of salt

Instructions

  1. Place 4 cups of the flour on the counter and make a well. Add 1 ½ cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt into it and using a fork, incorporate the flour into the water. Eventually, the mixture will become a dough. You can use a dough scraper to incorporate the rest of the flour. The dough might feel pretty dry but jut stick with it until you get a ball. If it is too dry sprinkle water. If it is too sticky dust more flour onto your work surface and work it in. You want to end up with a ball that’s not too sticky and not too dry. Knead for 8-10 minutes, do not overknead or the pasta will become chewy. Cling wrap or keep the dough in Tupperware for one hour. This is important as it will help the dough become cohesive. 
  2. After 1 hour, cut the dough into 8 pieces. Use one of the piece and keep the rest of the dough cling wrapped or in the Tupperware so it won’t dry up. 
  3. Using the one piece, make a thin rope with your hands. Cut half inch sized pieces with a knife. Using your thumb, leave a thumb print of the small piece and then unfurl the piece over your thumb in the opposite direction to form a concave shape. Repeat with the remaining dough. 
  4. Leave the orecchiette to rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and they will be ready to boil!

Notes

  • Cook right away or dry for later
  • The pasta is long-cooking, so there’s time to make sauce
  • I recommend making broccoli rabe.
  • Prep Time: 2 H
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Pasta
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 328
  • Sodium: 0.9 mg
  • Fat: 3.2 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 62 g
  • Fiber: 3.3 g
  • Protein: 11 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @cilantro.parsley on Instagram and hashtag it #cilantroparsley

More Italian

  • Indulge in a savory delight with our sausage stuffed acorn squash: plump, juicy sausages nestled within tender roasted acorn squash halves, perfectly complemented by a medley of aromatic herbs and spices.
    Air Fryer Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage
  • Experience the essence of Italy with our Neapolitan Pizza Recipe: thin, crispy crust topped with tangy tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves.
    Neapolitan Pizza Recipe
  • Pink Sauce Pasta Recipe
  • Puttanesca Pizza Recipe

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Maxine Ciampa!

I'm a Mexican American recipe creator based in Melbourne, Florida, sharing approachable Mexican, Latin, and Italian recipes.

I grew up cooking with my Mexican mom, and my time living in Mexico, Spain, Texas, and New York City continues to inspire the food I make today. Every recipe is tested in my kitchen—and taste-tested by my husband, Tom!

You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook & Youtube

More about me →

Not Sure Where to Start?

Start with my 10 Best Mexican Recipes...a collection of flavorful favorites inspired by my Mexican heritage!

Popular

  • French Garlic and Herb Compound Butter
  • Reverse-Seared Steak with Shallot Vermouth Pan Sauce
  • Steak and Mushrooms Recipe with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
  • 10 Mexican Recipes You Need to Make
  • Crispy Homemade Cajun Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
  • Easy Pumpkin Rice Recipe with Coconut Milk
  • Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Recipe
  • Easy Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

¿Hablas Español?

Puedes encontrar mis recetas en español en Cilantro Perejil.

Make Dinner Easier

The Prep Deck includes 72 of my go-to dinner recipes, 12 weekly grocery lists, QR video tutorials, and a wooden display stand...all designed to take the guesswork out of meal planning!

Copyright © 2026 Cilantro Parsley on the Foodie Pro Theme