Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe (Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa)
Orecchiette, or as my Nonno calls it, strascinati, is a pasta native to Puglia, the region in Southern Italy that encompasses the “heel” of the boot. Their name translates to “small ear” because of their shape, but I think they look more like little hats. Orecchiette with broccoli rabe is pretty much the signature dish of Puglia, which happens to be the region where my family is from. As is particular to many pasta dishes in Italy, this recipe is simple and contains a short list of ingredients; broccoli rabe, garlic, anchovies, olive oil, and red chili flakes. Simplicity is underrated. It’s all you need!
O Andy Boy, the anchovies, the garlic, are calling
“When I was a kid, we only had broccoli rabe during certain seasons. Over here, it’s all year round, but at that time in Italy, every fruit and every vegetable had its own season,” my Nonno explains. “Today, it’s different. Today it’s a delicacy, but at that time, you were a hungry kid. Whatever they gave you, you had to eat. American kids, you give them something they don’t like, they don’t eat it, but back then in Italy, we had to eat it because there was nothing else.” I find it so interesting how cucina povera, the “nothing goes to waste” style of peasant cooking that my grandparents grew up with, has come to be considered so trendy and luxurious today. Whatever the reason for its meteoric rise in popularity, I’m glad because cooking healthy and nourishing meals that minimize food waste should never go out of style.
Orecchiette remind me more of the children’s book “Caps for Sale” than they do “little ears.” Just sayin’
Orecchiette is traditionally made by hand at home. It’s also vegan because it’s not made with eggs. You only need ground durum wheat (semolina) and water to make this type of pasta. However, my recipe for orecchiette with broccoli rabe, or as it’s called in Italian, orecchiette con cime di rapa, is not vegan, nor is it vegetarian. I use a generous amount of anchovies in this recipe. Anchovies are my favorite “secret” ingredient. They add instant depth, complexity, and deliciously savory umami to any recipe I throw them in. They’re also, hands down, my absolute favorite pizza topping in the world. Hey, if you can’t taste the brine, it ain’t worth my time.
Garlic, anchovies, and olive oil are my holy trinity of cooking. Hit me with those glutamates, friend
As my boy Barristan Selmy once said, “Melt it down and add it to the others."
I’m sure it’s no surprise to many, but anchovies aren’t universally loved. A lot of my friends find them to be strange and disgusting, which in my mind has little to do with their flavor and more to do with their idea of them. It also doesn’t help that most Americans buy the cheap and coarse, overly salty kind of anchovies with the million boney pins in them. Good quality anchovies are nice and smooth, with a somewhat sweet and rich, briny flavor. My preferred brands are Ortiz, Codesa, Merro, and Agostino Recca. Anchovies from Spain are considered to be the best, while the ones from Italy are a close second.
However, if you’re cooking with them, any brand will do pretty much because cooking them down makes them taste less fishy. When you sauté anchovies, they pop and sizzle, then melt into the oil and disappear. For this reason, they’re what I like to call an “invisible” ingredient. Anchovies add so much flavor to this recipe, and, in my opinion, they’re essential to making this dish; it won’t taste nearly as good without them. Luckily, my friends aren’t allergic to anchovies, so none of the homies are the wiser when I cook them into my broccoli rabe. Molto sneaky sneaky.
Anchovies: YOU CAN’T SEE ME
When prepping the broccoli rabe, it’s important to cut off the ends of the stems while they’re still in a bunch and soak the vegetable to remove any dirt or sand, or else your meal will be grainy. There is nothing worse than finally sitting down to eat and finding out that you did not properly strain away all the gross dirt from your rabe. It’s not only embarrassing, but it completely ruins the entire meal and renders everything inedible. No one wants to chew on crunchy, sandy pasta, so please, take the time to soak and rinse your broccoli rabe in a bowl and strainer before you add it to the pan.
It’s also important to mention that you should split the thicker stems in half by cutting an incision lengthwise down the center of them. This will allow the broccoli rabe to cook both evenly and faster because not all of the stalks will have the same size stems. Some will be much smaller than others, so by slicing them down the center; you‘ll cut the cooking time for those stalks in half.
First you cut off the rough edges
Then you split the thick stalks down the stem
Now you boil (or steam) the broccoli rabe
…and finally you sauté it with the garlic, dissolved anchovies, red chili flakes, and olive oil
While it might look like broccoli, broccoli rabe is actually more closely related to turnips, despite its buds resembling broccoli florets in appearance. It’s a cruciferous vegetable loaded with antioxidants and vitamins K, A, and C. It’s also low calorie and contains iron and anti-inflammatory nutrients like folate. Broccoli rabe tastes bitter, sharp, nutty, and peppery. Its flavor is robust and so the dish needs to be paired with a strong, red wine to balance out the bitterness and saltiness of the broccoli rabe and anchovies. Cabernet Sauvignon, Primitivo, and Chianti would work well, as would a Barbera if you decide to cook with sausage.
Bari in a bowl
Ingredients
3/4 lb of orecchiette
1 bunch of broccoli rabe
10 garlic cloves
12 or more anchovies
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
(optional): Sweet Italian sausage or ground sausage
(optional): Pecorino-Romano
Cooking Instructions
While bunched, cut off the ends of the broccoli rabe stems and place them into a large, water-filled bowl to soak. Repeat this step twice, soaking the rabe in freshwater both times. This will remove any dirt or sand. After cleaning, split the thicker stems in half by slicing a small incision length-wise into the stalks, so they cook faster
In a large pot, boil salted water and add in pasta, cooking for 8 to 12 minutes depending on whether you use fresh pasta or not
In a separate pot, steam or boil broccoli rabe in salted water until the stems are tender, around 3 minutes. Drain and remove the broccoli rabe and add it to the skillet
Slice the garlic. In a large skillet with olive oil, add in the red pepper flakes, anchovies, and garlic, sautéing until the anchovies melt and the garlic golden
*If you’re cooking with sausage, remove the meat from its casing and crumble it onto a skillet or use already ground sausage. Cook the meat entirely and add it to the broccoli rabe after everything else is cooked. You can also fry the sausage, roast it, or cook it on the grill before slicing to serve
Before the garlic browns, add in the broccoli rabe and sauté until coated and cooked through for about 4 minutes
Strain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl. Add in the broccoli rabe and toss with the pasta. Serve plain or with Pecorino-Romano
