Homemade Orecchiette Recipe

You can use garbanzo flour for extra protein (sold at whole foods) or whole wheat or other whole grain flour. Used 50/50 with regular flour, it will be healthy, but not "too healthy" that your kids won't like the texture.

   * 1 cup all-purpose flour

   * 1 cup garbanzo flour (or whole-grain flour)

   * 1/2 teaspoon salt

   * 2 eggs, plus 4 egg yolks, beaten together

   1. Boil a large pot of salted water

   2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the flours and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs.

   3. Whisk them, gradually pulling in flour from the rim, until the mixture comes together into a firm ball of dough.

   4. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and work it until smooth.

   5. With a well-floured hand, pinch off small fingerfuls of dough, roll them between your thumb and forefinger into balls, and press each in the middle to form an indentation. (Toddler fingers are especially well-suited to this task.)

6. Cook the orecchiette in the boiling water. When they rise to the top, cook for one more minute and they are done. Drain and serve.

Because these noodles are so fresh, just a bit of butter or olive oil and some grated parmesan will be enough for these to taste great.

See two more easy pasta recipes from Cookie.
Do you have a Healthy, Quick and Easy Kid recipe? Share it with us.