In Brindisi, they are called stacchiòddi. It is, in fact, a cup-shaped pasta, and it is therefore similar to the Apulian mainstream format. In Minervino Murge and on the Gargano coast, the orecchietta is also called cuppetìedde or coppettella. In Foggia and province they are called rècchie de prèvete and they are bigger than the rècchie, recchietèdde and strascenàte from Bari. The orecchiette are given a different name depending on where they are made and the size they take on. "The thickness of the snake tells us what size the orecchiette will be," warns the coach pasta. Depending on the strip that is created, you can create small ears of different sizes. The result is a small “ear” with a wrinkled outer surface," explains Amenduni. The shell is then obtained, very similar to a more open cavatello, but it can also be turned on the tip of a finger. While in Bari, the central part is used in the rest of Puglia, only the tip of the instrument is used. "You cut the snakes of dough, then cut them into small pieces of about a centimeter and a half, which are pulled or dragged on the pastry board with a knife with a rounded tip or using the sfèrre. Orecchiette are made throughout Puglia and they start from the same technique for preparation of cavatelli. "It is called cavatello because it is " cavatello", the dragging is minimal", explains Romano, who adds: "On the Murgia the cavatelli are made by dragging the dough with three fingers: with the middle finger you drag the dough, while with the ring and index finger you control the shape." Then you cut a piece and you make the cavatello either with the help of a finger or with the tip of the knife. You take a piece of dough and work it with your hands until you get a small “snake” of pasta. It is the zero-grade of fresh pasta in Puglia. Moreover, the processing techniques also change depending on the place. ![]() But the names of these formats are not the same everywhere. Depending on the movements we make with our hands or underwire, we can make cavatelli (using our hands), strascinati (using sfèrre) and even a mix of maccheroncini with underwire and orecchiette, known also as maritati. It is the sfèrre, "a knife that our grandmothers used to use, made of iron,” explains Sandro Romano. The Apulian gastronomic tradition reports it as the first tool for the processing of orecchiette. Once the rest time has passed, we begin to give shape to the pasta with the help of our hands and a particular customary instrument. The ingredients and the dough Knead the pasta Let it rest for at least half an hour, wrapping the dough in a cotton cloth so that the glutinic mesh is formed and the mixture is elastic. We combine all the ingredients and knead with our fingertips until we have created a smooth and homogeneous mixture. We add water at room temperature and knead. Once the ingredients have been mixed together, we start by creating a fountain of semolina on the pastry board. Unlike other areas of Italy, no eggs are put into the dough. No salt is added except in the water for boiling the pasta: "If you put salt in the dough, it makes the glutinic mesh harder," explains the pasta chef. The dough must be smooth, but not wet.” In addition to semolina, in Salento, barley flour is used a lot while in the rest of the region, burnt wheat flour is also widespread. But when you go to shape the dough, you don't succeed. If you put more water, it works better, it's true. ![]() "But to achieve this effect, you need to have a certain amount of experience and manual skill.” Romano adds: "The dough must be rough, almost grainy. "Because it ensures greater porosity of the pasta." Regarding the amount of water to use in these recipes with semolina, the two experts have a hard time explaining: "The trick is to reduce the quantity in order to have a dough that produces ‘wrinkled ears’," Amenduni recommends. "It's the flour used by pasta makers," explains Antonio Amenduni, a pasta trainer who holds masterclasses in Italy and abroad. ![]() So, in an elegant metaphor, among fresh and dried pasta, we will find only water and durum wheat semolina – often in its natural form. "Puglia is made of durum wheat semolina," says Sandro Romano, gastronome and journalist. And cavatelli? What about strascinati? It's best we tidy up, especially if we want to knead the pasta ourselves, making it just like the old ladies of Bari Vecchia – who have just now found themselves in the midst of a “pasta controversy.” The ingredients Let's take orecchiette, for example: for a single format of pasta, there are many names that change from city to city. Sitting at the table in Puglia means experiencing great gastronomic traditions and many, many linguistic and culinary differences.
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