• Simple Ingredients: The traditional recipe calls for only durum wheat semolina, water, and sometimes a pinch of salt. The high quality of the local durum wheat guarantees an exceptional final product.
• Artisanal Process: Orecchiette from Lucania are traditionally handcrafted. Their characteristic concave disc shape, similar to the little ears from which they take their name, is achieved by dragging a small piece of dough across a wooden surface (pastry board) with the thumb or a knife. This process gives the pasta a rough, porous surface, ideal for absorbing any type of sauce.
• Slow Drying: For dry pasta, the drying process occurs slowly and at low temperatures, preserving the organoleptic properties of the wheat.
• Versatility: Although they are a classic with robust sauces or seasonal vegetables such as turnip tops, in Basilicata they are often combined with meat ragù or light sauces with cherry tomatoes and basil, sometimes enriched with the typical Lucanian crusco pepper powder.