Today I am sharing a recipe that I particularly love, Fresh San Marzano Tomato Orecchiette. A tomato with an elongated shape, typical red color, and almost seedless flesh. It is characterized by a typically sweet and sour taste. In Puglia, it is widely used especially for sauce preserves. The harvest period goes from July to the end of September, and I found the last San Marzano tomatoes, my absolute favorites. It is characterized by a typically sweet and sour taste. There’s no need to tell you that buying dry orecchiette is not the same as Homemade Orecchiette like our grandmothers made, respecting their tradition. As a good Puglian, orecchiette are part of my culinary tradition, and they are now known worldwide for their characteristic round and concave shape. It is said that in ancient times, their shape was due to the fact that they could be stored for a long time in case of famine. They are smooth inside and rough and wrinkled outside to better hold the sauce, which is usually a ragù or a simple sauce, but in Puglia, traditionally, orecchiette and turnip tops leave a truly indelible mark, so if you come to Puglia, this is one of the most appreciated and requested dishes.
If you like recipes with orecchiette, I also recommend these:

- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 376.05 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 64.42 (g) of which sugars 7.77 (g)
- Proteins 13.06 (g)
- Fat 8.37 (g) of which saturated 1.20 (g)of which unsaturated 0.77 (g)
- Fibers 5.38 (g)
- Sodium 106.25 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 300 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 11 oz orecchiette (fresh)
- 1.76 lbs San Marzano tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste chili pepper (optional)
- to taste salt
- 5 leaves basil
Tools
- 1 Pan
- 1 Pot
Steps
The first thing to do is to blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes
Drain them and
transfer them to a bowl with ice water
Remove the skin and seeds. Save the tomato water and do not throw away the seeds but season them with salt, extra virgin olive oil, and oregano. They will be excellent for dressing a delicious soft wheat frisella.
Remove the garlic core
Sauté the garlic slightly with extra virgin olive oil
Add the chili pepper.
Pour the tomatoes
Salt
Remove the garlic.
Add the basil
Boil the fresh orecchiette
A few minutes before finishing cooking the orecchiette, toss them in the pan with the tomato
Add a few basil leaves and serve our Fresh San Marzano Tomato Orecchiette
Of course, if you have another type of tomato because it’s October and you can’t find San Marzano, you can easily substitute it.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How long do orecchiette last?
They can be stored in the fridge for 6/7 days and up to 4 months in the freezer.