Orecchiette con Pomodorini e Cacioricotta

Every region guards its own cheese. In Emilia-Romagna, we reach for Parmigiano-Reggiano without thinking. But Puglia is not Emilia-Romagna. What grows there, what grazes there, what the shepherds make there, that is what belongs on the table. To put Parmigiano on this dish is to announce that you do not understand where the food comes from.

Cacioricotta is made from sheep's milk, sometimes goat's, using a method that falls between fresh ricotta and aged pecorino. It is firm enough to grate but milky and mild, with a slight tang that complements the sweetness of summer tomatoes. The cheese melts into the sauce rather than sitting on top. This is the difference between a dish that is whole and one that is merely assembled.

Orecchiette means little ears, and the shape is not decorative. Those small cups catch the sauce. The tomatoes nestle inside. The cheese clings to the ridged surface where Puglian grandmothers dragged the dough across wooden boards with their thumbs. Simple does not mean easy. It means every element must earn its place.