orecchiette

noun

orec·​chi·​et·​te ō-ˌrā-kē-ˈe-tā How to pronounce orecchiette (audio)
: small oval pasta

Examples of orecchiette in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Another surprising highlight was the orecchiette with pickled mushrooms, smoked caciocavallo, and truffle oil. Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2024 There are starters like shrimp cocktail, steak tartare, and a great romaine caesar, and main courses including orecchiette with blue crab and bottarga, veal Milanese, and a slew of steaks grilled to your liking and served with peppercorn sauce. William Li, Town & Country, 9 June 2023 The fava beans sort of mimic the shape of the orecchiette too, nestling neatly in the pasta’s curves as if they’re meant to be there. Ben Mims, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2023 Cook orecchiette according to package directions. Star Tribune, 30 June 2021 Add orecchiette and thyme and bring to a boil. Kate Merker, Good Housekeeping, 17 Dec. 2020 The merguez in that celebrated orecchiette bursts with Mexican spices. Gary Shteyngart, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Dec. 2022 The orecchiette with rabbit ragû is a dish that her son and business partner Nicola Marzovilla remembers eating every Sunday as a child in Puglia. Emily Wilson, Bon Appétit, 14 Sep. 2022 While in Italy, De Laurentiis went on a search for the famous grandmothers who make handmade orecchiette pasta in Bari's alleyways, posting a video of her adventure. Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 4 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'orecchiette.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Italian, plural of orecchietta, diminutive of orecchia ear, from Latin auricula — more at auricle

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of orecchiette was in 1973

Dictionary Entries Near orecchiette

Cite this Entry

“Orecchiette.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orecchiette. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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