Orecchiette vs Strascinati
Orecchiette is small domed disc, rough on the outside, dragged over the board with a knife. Strascinati is disc of dough dragged across the board with the fingers, larger and flatter than orecchiette.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmOrecchiette: 18 to 25 mm by 18 to 25 mm
Strascinati: 30 to 50 mm by 20 to 30 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Hand-formed | Hand-formed |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Puglia | Basilicata |
| Section | Small domed disc, rough on the outside, dragged over the board with a knife | Disc of dough dragged across the board with the fingers, larger and flatter than orecchiette |
| Length | 18 to 25 mm | 30 to 50 mm |
| Width or diameter | 18 to 25 mm | 20 to 30 mm |
| Wall or thickness | 2 to 3 mm | 2 to 3 mm |
| Surface | Rough | Rough |
| Hollow | No | No |
| Dough | Semolina and water | Semolina and water |
| Cook time | 9 to 12 min | 6 to 10 min |
| Brands with a page | De Cecco, Rummo, Garofalo, Barilla, La Molisana | not measured |
| Catalogue numbers | De Cecco no. 91, Rummo no. 87, Garofalo no. 5, La Molisana no. 30 | not measured |
| Cook time across brands | 10 to 14 min | not measured |
| Energy, dry, per 100 g | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) |
| Protein, dry, per 100 g | 13.0 g | 13.0 g |
| Products catalogued | 300 | not measured |
| Pairs with | Cime di rapa, Sausage ragu, Broccoli and anchovy, Meat ragu, Pomodoro, Ricotta | Sausage ragu, Meat ragu, Pomodoro, Ricotta |
Orecchiette
A rough cup with a thick centre and a thin rim. The cup holds greens, sausage crumbs, and chunky vegetables; the rough outside grips oil and cheese. It wants sauces with pieces, never a smooth coating.
Strascinati
Rough, thick, and open, so they take a sausage ragu, fried crumbs and dried peppers, or a tomato with ricotta.
Can you swap them?
Strascinati for orecchiette: yes, the larger dragged version.
Orecchiette for strascinati: yes, the smaller Puglian cup.
Both take Sausage ragu, Meat ragu, Pomodoro, Ricotta.
Only orecchiette: Cime di rapa, Broccoli and anchovy.
Sources
- Dimensions, surface, dough, and cook time: each shape page names the brand page, spec sheet, or measured box behind every figure.
- Brands, catalogue numbers, brand cook times, and brand dimensions: the brand product pages linked on each shape page, read on 2026-08-25.
- Energy and protein: USDA FoodData Central, per 100 g of the dough, public domain.
- Products catalogued: Open Food Facts, Open Database License, read on 2026-08-25. A crowd database: a count is a floor.