Making Orecchiette

Cut off a golf ball–size piece of dough and roll it into a rope about 1¼ centimeters (½ inch) in diameter. Using a small knife or a bench scraper, cut the dough rope into ½-centimeter (¼-inch) lengths.

Set a piece of dough in front of you on the work surface. Using the rounded blade of a butter knife or your thumb, press into the dough to flatten. Then drag blade or thumb across the dough, pressing down so that the dough thins and curls around blade or thumb. If the dough sticks or slides while you are working with it, dip your fingertips in water.