Real Italian dumplings

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup fine semolina
• 1 cup of premium flour + extra for work
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced ​​crosswise
• 1 cup diced ham
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 cup green peas (fresh or thawed)
• 0.5 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 0.5 cups heavy cream
• Juice of half a lemon
• 0.5 cup grated Parmesan (about 60 g)

Preparation:

1. Dough:
   
   Combine the semolina and flour in a large bowl. Place it on a work surface and make a well in the center. Pour 0.5 cups of cold water into the well. Using a fork, gradually mix the flour and water. Continue mixing until you have a lumpy dough. If the dough is too dry and won't stick together, add up to 1/4 cup more water, a little at a time.
2. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. The dough can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; bring it to room temperature before rolling it out.
3. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time (keeping the remaining pieces wrapped), roll the dough on the counter with your hands into a 1/2-inch-thick rope. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut the rope into 1/2-inch-thick pieces; roll each piece into a small ball. Dust your hands with flour, then press the dough ball with your thumb and pull the edge toward you to form a bowl; rest the dough on the tip of your index finger and turn it inside out. Form the remaining dough into orecchiette in the same way; place the finished pasta on a floured baking sheet.
4. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the ham and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the green peas and broth and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes for frozen peas and 10 minutes for fresh peas.
5. Transfer the orecchiette pasta to a colander and shake it over a baking sheet to remove excess flour. Add the orecchiette to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta from the pot directly to the skillet with the ham and peas. Stir, adding a spoonful of the cooking water if necessary if the pasta looks dry. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
   
   

   Freezing Tips

   
   Fresh pasta can be frozen for up to 2 months. Freeze it on baking sheets, then transfer it to bags. Cook the frozen pasta for 2 minutes longer than directed.