The orecchiette ammollicate are a first of the Lucanian tradition, and are seasoned with simple ingredients such as bread crumbs and extra virgin olive oil, as farmers did when there was nothing to eat
The orecchiette softened they are a typical dish of Southern Italy, and in particular of Basilicata and Puglia. For this recipe the characteristic round and concave shape pasta is used, almost as if it were a small ear (and hence the name), prepared by hand by the housewives.
The history of the orecchiette
This curious pasta shape boasts very ancient origins. In 1500 they were already mentioned in a notarial deed found in the archives of the church of San Nicola di Bari, in which the owner of a bakery, in transferring the business to his daughter, indicated that the latter's dowry was to prepare the famous "Recchjetedde". The orecchiette have always been prepared with durum wheat flour, water and salt and are part of that pasta "Dragged" precisely for the gesture of the women to pull the dough on the pastry board with their fingers, giving it the classic rough appearance on the outside and smooth on the inside.
Ammollicate, a simple but tasty recipe
The orecchiette ammollicate belong to the peasant tradition of people capable of get by with what little was there. In this case of the healthy extra virgin olive oil and the crumbs of the advanced dry bread, which were fried together with a clove of garlic, for an extra touch of aroma. If then anchovies were available, they would join together to give more flavor to the dish.
And now the recipe for softened orecchiette
Ingredients
500 g fresh orecchiette, 10 salted anchovies, 2 cloves of garlic, 200 g dry bread crumbs, extra virgin olive oil.
Method
Rinse the anchovies under running water and dilute them, then dry them with a paper towel. In a pan, brown the peeled garlic cloves in a little oil and then add the bread crumbs, making sure they do not burn. In another pan, put oil and then the coarsely chopped anchovies with a knife. Cook them until they flake completely and become a cream. Meanwhile, boil the orecchiette in abundant (unsalted) water and once they are ready, drain them, keeping two tablespoons of the cooking water. Add the orecchiette pasta with the cooking water to the pan with the anchovies, mix well and then sprinkle everything with the toasted bread crumbs. Serve immediately.
The variant with the turnip top
To give this dish an even more "regional" flavor, you can combine the orecchiette cooking water turnip greens, typical vegetables of Southern Italy, of which leaves are eaten and the small inflorescences that grow among the most tender buds. They are cooked in a short time together with the orecchiette, in the same cooking water, drained, squeezed and then browned for a few minutes in a pan with oil and a clove of garlic. Once ready, add them to the anchovies, the pasta and serve with the dusting of toasted bread.
In the gallery some more suggestions for a special dish
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