← Nouns Cooking · Italian

Ingredients

• 1 kg broccoli rabe (cime di rapa) or tenderstem broccoli
• 350 g orecchiette
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 40 g dried breadcrumbs
• 2 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp Chilli flakes
• 4 anchovy fillets in oil (optional)
• salt, for the cooking water

Method

1. Trim the broccoli rabe: keep the florets, tender leaves and thin stems, and throw away the tough lower stalks. Wash well.
2. Toast the breadcrumbs in 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat for 3–4 min, stirring, until golden and crunchy. Tip into a bowl.
3. Bring a big pot of salted water to the boil. Add the orecchiette and, after 5 min, add the greens to the same pot so they cook together until the pasta is al dente.
4. Meanwhile, warm the rest of the oil in the frying pan over low heat with the garlic, chilli and anchovies (if using). Stir for 2–3 min until the anchovies dissolve and the garlic is pale gold.
5. Drain the pasta and greens, keeping a little water, and tip them into the pan. Toss over medium heat for 1–2 min, adding a splash of water, until the greens break down and coat the pasta.
6. Serve sprinkled generously with the toasted breadcrumbs.

Tips

• The anchovies are traditional but optional: leave them out to keep the dish vegan and vegetarian.
• Tenderstem broccoli with a handful of rocket gives a similar gentle bitterness if you cannot find cime di rapa.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

GialloZafferano Pasta Grammar