Homemade Orecchiette Recipe with Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

5 from 1 vote

Homemade Orecchiette Recipe with Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

How to make Homemade Orecchiette with Meatballs. Traditional pasta from Puglia, Italy. Adapted from Masseria Il Frantoio.

Prep Time1

Cook Time3

Sauce Time30

Course: dinner, Entree

Cuisine: Italian, Pasta

Servings: servings

Author: Mary Cressler

Cost: $20

Equipment

1 digital scale To weigh the flour.
1 large wooden cutting board For rolling the pasta.
1 spoon or butter knife For forming the pasta.
1 Instant Read Thermometer To temp the meatballs.

Ingredients

For the Orecchiette:

1 ½ cups “Semolina” Durum Wheat, (250 grams)
½ cup hot water (may need more depending on consistency of dough)
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the Tomato Sauce:

1 medium onion, diced (about 2 cups)
28 ounce can San Marzano Tomatoes (or other high quality canned tomato)
5 leaves fresh basil
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Meatballs:

½ lb ground pork
½ lb ground beef, 85/15
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, loosely packed
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, loosely packed
2 cups fresh bread crumbs, loosely packed
3 eggs
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
½ tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

For the Orecchiette:

Combine Flour: Place the dry flour on a large cutting board or clean counter top and form a hole in the center (like a volcano). Add water a little at a time and start to knead, adding the oil and more water a little at a time until the mixture is soft and very smooth, giving it a round shape. If it’s too sticky add more flour. If it’s too dry, add a little more water.
Wrap: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and leave for 10-15 minutes, until the dough becomes elastic enough to work with.
Form Into Snake Strings: Take a small piece of the dough at a time and form it into a snake like shape, or tube (though not too thin). See photos for examples.
Make Orecchiette: Divide the tube into chunks about 1 cm long, using the rounded part of the knife, dragging each piece of dough on a work surface so that the pasta is curved, assuming the shape of a shell. Then, using your thumbs, work the shape open to get the shape of an ear. Alternatively, you can use your finger, and point in the opposite direction of the shell shape and push from behind, again forming the piece into an ear-like shape.
Boil: When ready to cook. Bring a large pot to a boil. Add plenty of salt, and cook until the Orecchiette rise to the top (this happens quickly so don’t walk away).
Serve: Serve with some of the sauce, meatballs, and top with Parmesan or Pecorino, and a drizzle of fresh Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

For the Sauce:

Combine and Simmer: Place olive oil in a med-large pot over medium heat, then add the onions. Cook for approximately 6-8 minutes, until onions have softened. Add the tomatoes by hand, squeezing them to crush. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Using a hand immersion blender (or counter top blender) blend until smooth (or your preferred consistency). Add the basil, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

For the Meatballs: (makes 36 small golf ball shaped meatballs)

Combine: Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and then roll into meatballs slightly smaller than the size of a golf ball.
Sauté: Heat oil in a large skillet and fry the balls for 4-6 minutes (depending on size), until internal temperature reaches 165. Then transfer to the sauce to combine.

Notes

Meatballs: If you want even more flavor smoke the meatballs at 225 degrees F for 40 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160 - 165 degrees F.

Preparation: To best serve the food warm:

Make and form meatballs.
Make the sauce.
As sauce simmers make the orecchiette.
Once the orecchiette is formed and the sauce is done make the meatballs in the pan and prep your boiling water.
Once you start on the last batch of meatballs drop the orecchiette into the boiling water. Then when done start plating with the warm sauce and meatballs.

If smoking the meatballs do that first so they can cook while you make everything else since it takes 40 minutes.

Nutrition