Italian Orecchiette with broccoli rabe recipe

Orecchiette with broccoli rabe, also called "recchitelle" or "dragged", are one of the most representative dishes of Puglia, particularly in the province of Bari; This first dish is prepared throughout the region, even with accompaniments other than turnip greens such as broccoli or tomato sauce


Ingredients

Salt
Dried orecchiette pasta kind handcrafted 350 g or 500 g fresh
Turnip greens 1 kg to clean
1 clove of garlic
Anchovy (anchovies) 8 fillets in oil
Italian Peperoncino
Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

To achieve the orecchiette with turnip greens, dried orecchiette get yourself crafts, or if you want to prepare the fresh orecchiette following our recipe for orecchiette. Clean the broccoli rabe: eliminate the wasted leaves, stems and tough outer fibrous and keep the inner smaller and tender, set aside the leaves and tender stems.

Take the florets, free them one by one from the core, remove the outer part of the core and cut into small pieces that the inside is white and tender.

 This way you have divided the leaves from the florets. Boil a large pot of salted water, when the water begins to boil, add the leaves, which require a longer cooking, and the orecchiette (if you use fresh orecchiette pasta will need to consider that cooks in less time, and then you'll have to add the orecchiette after about 5 minutes). Orecchiette will cook along with the leaves for about 10 minutes, consider that the vegetables should be crunchy and the orecchiette al dente.
Orecchiette with broccoli rabe

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Place a large pan on the stove (which will then also contain the orecchiette) paid a round of oil, let it heat and add the chopped garlic (you can alternatively put the whole garlic, olive oil and let the flavor then remove it), let it brown, turn off the heat and add the anchovies in oil so that they dissolve.

Add the florets into the pan with the orecchiette and leaves, finish cooking, stirring well (it will take about 3/4 minutes). Once cooked orecchiette with turnip greens, drain well, taking care to keep the cooking water that can be used to creaming, and pour it directly into the pan with the sauce. Stir over high heat for a couple of minutes and stir well to flavor the orecchiette, if you look a little 'dry, add a ladle of water, turn off the heat and add the red pepper to taste. At this point your orecchiette with turnip greens are ready to be served piping hot!