SERVES 4 TO 6
The incredible chewy texture of this homemade pasta is easy to achieve; the trick is the warm water and the kneading time. We often spend a Sunday morning with the kids and make a triple batch; orecchiette freeze well and hold indefinitely, and besides that, they are a lot of fun to make.
2 cups semolina flour, plus more for sprinkling
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 to 1¼ cups warm water
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds Italian pork sausage, casings removed
1 red onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 rib celery, cut into ½-inch dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup water
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 large bunch collard greens, tough stems trimmed
3 tablespoons kosher salt
Pecorino Toscano, for serving
Place both flours in a large bowl and stir to combine well. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the water a little at a time, stirring with your hands, until a dough is formed. You may need more or less water, depending on the humidity in your kitchen.
Place the dough on a floured work surface and knead it like bread dough for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature.
Roll the dough into long dowels about ¾ inch thick. Cut the dowels into flat disks about ¼ inch to ½ inch thick. Press the center of each disk with your thumb to form saucer-shaped pasta, and place the orecchiette on a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with semolina. Cover with a clean dish towel and set aside.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over high heat. Place the sausage in the pan and cook until the fat has rendered, moving the sausage occasionally to avoid sticking. Remove the meat and set aside. Drain the excess fat from the pan, reduce the heat to low, and add the onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper, and sweat the vegetables for about 6 minutes, until tender, letting them get soft but not browned. Add the tomato paste and 1 cup water, bring the mixture to a boil, and return the sausage to the pan. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until the mixture has a ragu consistency. Add more water, if necessary, to keep the ragu moist.
In a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over high heat until almost smoking. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and collards and toss until the collards are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the ragu and toss for 2 minutes, seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil in a pasta pot and add the salt. Drop the orecchiette into the boiling water and cook until tender yet al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the collards and ragu. Toss over medium heat for 1 minute, then divide the pasta and sauce evenly among six warm pasta bowls. Grate Pecorino Toscano over each bowl and serve immediately.