Orecchiette, also called "strascicati" or "strascinati", are the most typical pasta shape of the Apulian cuisine. The resulting shape is a round disc, slightly hollowed in the centre, like an ear! In the Apulian gastronomic tradition of homemade pasta, orecchiette were made with white flour, durum wheat semolina and water. Once in small pieces of dough, they "dragged" with the tip of a knife to obtain a kind of shell, then turned backwards with the tip of the thumb. 
 
In the traditional Apulian recipe, orecchiette are boiled together with broccoli or turnip greens. This is how I first tried them. They can also be served with a tomato and pecorino sauce or with a sauté of garlic and oil.
 
Ingredients: Durum wheat, water
500g.
 
The Pasta Michele Portoghese is an artisanal production near Florence.
Many years ago, pasta production was completely manual; after the dough was ready, the next phase was the extrusion by using the old fashioned press, and finished by drying the pasta either with the heat of the sun or in a room heated by the antique stoves.
Today, it is made using the traditional methods, but is guaranteed with state-of-the-art quality controls, hand selected grains and the perfect dose of durum wheat semolina. The drying process is slow with a low temperature as it is the most delicate phase requiring maximum attention. The temperature notably affects both the taste and protein content, therefore, it ensures a high nutritional value, flavour and maintains quality during and after cooking.