Rice semolina is used to make a gluten-free version of the famous 'little ear' pasta that comes from the Puglia region of Italy. No eggs or gum binders are needed; they hold up to being boiled and tossed with sauces or sauteed in the famous broccoli rabe dish 'orecchiette con le cime di rapa.' Their shape is perfect for your favorite tomato sauce as it pools inside the indentations, getting lots of sauce in each bite.
Ingredients
- salt: 0.25 tsp
- warm water: 0.5 cup (or more if needed)
- ounces rice semolina: 7 piece (or more if needed)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Dissolve salt in warm water in a bowl. Place semolina flour into a separate bowl and add salted water. Mix together until dough becomes a ball you can work with, adding more flour or warm water as needed; mixture should be slightly wet, barely sticking to your hands.
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Knead dough until slightly more stiff. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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Remove dough from the refrigerator and separate into 4 pieces. Use a small amount of semolina flour to dust your work table and work each piece of dough into a cylinder or snake shape. Dust your hands lightly with flour and pinch off a 1-inch piece of dough; make a dent using your thumb while rolling it away from you. Repeat with remaining dough.
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Let pasta sit for 7 to 8 minutes.
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Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil; place pasta into the boiling water and cook until pasta floats to the top, making sure not to stir, about 8 minutes. Scoop out cooked pasta using a slotted spoon from the water and transfer to a plate.
