Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa

Name: Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 60g Fresh Breadcrumbs; 400g Orecchiette; 700g Cime di Rapa (Broccoli Rabe), tough stems removed, leaves and florets kept; 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 2 cloves of Garlic, thinly sliced; 4 fillets of Anchovy Fillets, in oil; 1 Red Chili Pepper, finely chopped; 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa is a rustic, comforting Italian classic: ear-shaped pasta tossed with slightly bitter broccoli rabe, aromatic garlic, melting anchovies and a touch of chili for heat. Crispy toasted breadcrumbs add a crunchy, golden finish that contrasts beautifully with the tender greens and al dente pasta.

Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa is a rustic, comforting Italian classic: ear-shaped pasta tossed with slightly bitter broccoli rabe, ... Show more

Traditional Italian Recipe

Health Grade

C · Balanced

Rating

4.2

Time

35 min

Price

2,30 €

Calories

629 kcal

low sugar

mediterranean diet

comfort food

clean eating

Method

Wash the greens

Trim away any very tough stem ends from the Cime di Rapa (Broccoli Rabe), then separate the leaves and florets into bite-size pieces if needed and rinse everything in plenty of cold water. Shake them well so they are clean but not dripping.

Slice aromatics

Peel the Garlic and slice it thinly. Finely chop the Red Chili Pepper, or leave a few seeds in if you want more heat.

Toast breadcrumbs

Warm a large skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add the Fresh Breadcrumbs and stir constantly for 4 minutes, until they turn evenly golden and smell nutty. Scrape them into a bowl right away so they do not keep browning.

Boil the pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Drop in the broccoli rabe and cook for 2 minutes until bright green and just tender, then lift it out with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Add the Orecchiette to the same pot and cook for 8 minutes, or until al dente.

Drain and reserve

Before draining, save about 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the orecchiette well and keep it with the broccoli rabe.

Cook the sauce

Set the skillet back over medium heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir in the Anchovy Fillets (in oil), garlic, and chili, and cook for 1 minute, pressing the anchovies with a spoon until they melt into the oil. Return the drained broccoli rabe and orecchiette to the skillet, splash in a little reserved cooking water, and toss for 2 minutes until the sauce looks glossy and clings to the pasta.