Orecchiette

This variety of Italian pasta is characterized by its shape, which is reminiscent of small ears. Their shape gives them a unique texture that is soft in the center and slightly chewy around the edges. Orecchiete were invented in Puglia in the 8th century, when the region was under Norman-Swabian rule, and some food historians believe that they were designed to resemble the roofs of traditional cone-shaped huts which were built in the region, called trulli.