Three shapes of pasta without using tools: Make Orecchiette, Pici and Capunti like a Nonna
Before we get flour all over the kitchen, it's worth knowing where these three names come from, because each one tells a little story about Italy.
Orecchiette come from Puglia, and the name is just what it sounds like: "little ears", named for their curved shape. In the old town of Bari, women still make them on their doorsteps, a gesture passed from mother to daughter for generations. Pici are Tuscan, from Siena and the Val d'Orcia. The name is said to come from the verb "appicciare", meaning to roll and stick together, and that is exactly the motion: a long strand of dough stretched across the table under the palm of your hand. Capunti come from the area around Foggia. They are less famous, with a dialect name tied to their shape of small, elongated shells, made with nothing but your fingers.
Today, we're sharing with you how to make these three shapes of pasta by only using flour, water and patience. These are the best pasta shapes to do on Sunday morning without using machines.
Orecchiette
from the Three shapes of pasta
Ingredients for two people:
200 g durum wheat semolina (semola rimacinata)
About 100 ml lukewarm water
A pinch of salt
Pour the semolina into a mound, add the salt and add the water little by little, kneading for about ten minutes until the dough is smooth. Let it rest, covered, for half an hour. Roll a piece into a rope as thick as your finger and cut it into small pieces. Drag each piece across the table with your thumb so it curls up on itself, then flip it over your thumb to get the little dome shape.
Pici
from the Three shapes of pasta
Ingredients for two people:
200 g all purpose flour (type 00)
About 100 ml lukewarm water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of salt
Knead everything for ten minutes and rest for half an hour. Roll out a sheet about half a centimeter thick and cut strips as wide as a finger. Roll each strip on the table with your palm, from the center outward, until it becomes a long, uneven strand two or three millimeters thick. Small differences in thickness are the proof they are handmade. Dust them with semolina so they don't stick together.
Capunti
from the Three shapes of pasta
Ingredients for two people:
200 g durum wheat semolina
About 100 ml lukewarm water
A pinch of salt
The dough is the same as for orecchiette. After resting, shape a rope as thick as your finger and cut pieces about three centimeters long. Place your index and middle fingers on each piece and drag it toward you, pressing firmly. This makes a hollow with curled edges, perfect for holding sauce.
How to cook them
Cook everything in plenty of salted boiling water for eight to ten minutes, tasting to find the right point. A few ingredients are enough for the sauce: turnip greens and anchovy for orecchiette, garlic and toasted breadcrumbs for pici, and a good tomato sauce for capunti.
