Orecchiette Ammollicate is a typical dish from the South of Italy, particularly from Basilicata and Puglia. For this recipe, we use the characteristic handmade ‘orrechiette’ pasta with its round and concave shape, kind of like a little ear (as the name in Italian indicates).
The history of orecchiette
This curious pasta format boasts ancient origins. In 1500, they were already mentioned in an document found in the archives of the church in San Nicola di Bari, in which the owner of a bakery who was selling the business to his daughter, indicated the recipe of the famous ‘recchjetedde’ (orecchiette in dialect) as a marriage dowry. Orecchiette have always been prepared with durum wheat flour, water and salt – and they make up part of the so-called ‘strascinata’ pasta family, known for their classic handmade rough exterior and smooth interior.
Ammollicate: a simple, yet tasty recipe
Orecchiette ammollicate is a dish that belongs to the peasant tradition of Italian cuisine – recipes of old, made from whatever ingredients were available at the time. In this case, there’s the healthy extra virgin olive oil and breadcrumbs from leftover stale bread, sautéed together with a clove of garlic for an extra touch of flavor. If anchovies were available, they were used for an even more delicious taste.
Recipe for Orecchiette Ammollicate
Orecchiette ammollicate ingredients
1 lb fresh orecchiette pasta, 10 anchovies with salt, 2 cloves of garlic, 7 oz dry breadcrumbs, Extra virgin olive oil
How to make orecchiette
Rinse the anchovies under running water and dry with paper towels. In a pan, brown the peeled garlic cloves in a little oil followed by the breadcrumbs – making sure that they don’t burn. In another pan, heat some olive oil and add the coarsely chopped anchovies. Cook until everything is well-combined – turn off the heat before the anchovies completely melt into a cream. In the meantime, cook the orecchiette in plenty of (unsalted) boiling water and and drain, keeping two tablespoons of the leftover cooking water. Transfer the orecchiette with the cooking water into the pan with anchovies. Stir well and sprinkle with toasted breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.
Orecchiette ammollicate variation with turnips!
To give this dish an even more ‘regional’ taste, add some turnip to the pasta cooking water; these are typical vegetables from Southern Italy that feature soft leaves and little florets on the tenderest of turnip buds. They can be cooked in a short time together with the orecchiette (in the same cooking water) and drained. Once drained, squeeze them and brown for a few minutes in a pan with olive oil and a clove of garlic. Once ready, add them to the anchovies and pasta. Serve with a sprinkling of toasted bread.