Pile the durum wheat semolina into a mound on a work surface. Form a hollow in the middle, add a little water and the salt. Start kneading and gradually work in the rest of the water until you have a smooth and elastic dough. If the dough is still too hard, add water drop by drop (really drop by drop) until the consistency is smooth and elastic, but no longer sticky.
Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 60 minutes.
After the resting time, cut a piece the size of an egg from the dough and shape it into a finger-thick roll.
Cut the roll into 1-2 cm pieces that look like small cushions.
Place the rounded end of the knife against the upper end of a cushion, tilt the knife to an angle of 30° and pull the knife towards you.
Then take the resulting noodle, place it on your index finger and turn it over so that the rough side is on top. Do not pull too hard on the edges when turning it over so that the side that has just been roughened does not become smooth again.
Place the orecchietta on baking paper to dry and start on the next one.