Orecchiette alle Cime di Rapa (Pugliese Orecchiette with Turnip Greens)

This is not a Portuguese recipe, and I will be upfront about that, but I married into a family that loves Italian food almost as much as they love mine, and orecchiette alle cime di rapa is the dish my husband requests most after anything from my own kitchen. It comes from Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, and it is proof that a handful of humble ingredients, little ear-shaped pasta and bitter greens, can turn into something a restaurant would proudly put on a menu.

The traditional method, and the part that surprises people, is cooking the greens right in the same pot of water you will boil the pasta in. It sounds like it should not work, but it seasons the water, softens the greens, and saves you a pan to wash, which as a mother of two I consider a genuine selling point. Anchovies melt into the garlic and olive oil while that happens, and if you are the kind of person who says you do not like anchovies, trust me here, they disappear into the sauce and just leave behind a savory backbone, not a fishy taste.

Lucas, my resident savory quality control officer, approved this one on the first try, which is high praise from a kid who inspects every new dish with real suspicion. If cime di rapa, also called broccoli rabe, is not at your grocery store, broccolini or even hearty turnip greens will get you most of the way there. Finish it with a generous shower of pecorino and you have dinner in well under 40 minutes.

Orecchiette alle Cime di Rapa Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes · Cook time: 20 minutes · Total: 35 minutes · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~480 per serving

Ingredients

• 1 pound broccoli rabe (cime di rapa), tough bottom stems trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 12 ounces orecchiette pasta
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 to 6 anchovy fillets, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano, plus more for serving
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe and cook 3 minutes, then scoop it out with a slotted spoon and set aside, keeping the water boiling.
2. Add the orecchiette to the same pot and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
3. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring and mashing the anchovies, until the garlic is fragrant and the anchovies dissolve, about 2 minutes. Do not let the garlic brown.
4. Add the blanched broccoli rabe to the skillet and cook 3 to 4 minutes, tossing to coat in the garlic oil, until tender.
5. Add the drained orecchiette to the skillet along with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss well over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen everything into a light, glossy sauce.
6. Remove from heat, stir in the pecorino, and toss again. Taste and adjust salt (remember the anchovies and cheese are both salty). Serve immediately with extra pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil.

Recipe Notes

• Cooking the greens and pasta in the same pot is traditional and saves a dish, just fish the greens out before the pasta goes in.
• Cannot find broccoli rabe? Broccolini or hearty turnip greens are good substitutes, though the flavor will be milder and less bitter.
• The anchovies genuinely melt away into the sauce and will not taste fishy. They are doing the same job as a pinch of extra salt with a lot more depth.
• Save some pasta water before draining. Its starch is what pulls the sauce together into something glossy instead of oily.