Pasta · Puglia
Orecchiette Cime di Rapa Recipe
Chewy orecchiette and bitter broccoli rabe meet garlic, olive oil, and chile in a Puglian pasta, finished with starchy water for a silky sauce.
By Lucia Moretti (pen name) · · Editorial policy
In Bari, orecchiette means “little ears,” and cooks pair the pasta with cime di rapa (turnip greens), the peppery greens grown across Puglia. Blanching them in the pasta water seasons the greens and leaves the pot ready for the pasta; garlic and chile finish the dish in olive oil. For another Puglian staple, try Puglian Taralli Recipe: Boiled Before Baking, or see how garlic and anchovies work together in Bagna Cauda Recipe.
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The recipe
Orecchiette Cime di Rapa
Ingredients
for 4 servingsEquipment
- large pot
- slotted spoon
- colander
- large skillet
- tongs or pasta fork
Method
Trim the thick ends from the cime di rapa and rinse the leaves and tender stems well. Drain them while you prepare the other ingredients; allow about 10 minutes.
Slice the garlic and measure the red pepper flakes; allow about 2 minutes.
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large pot, about 8 minutes.
Add the cime di rapa and boil for 5 minutes, until the leaves are wilted and the stems are tender. Lift the greens into a colander with a slotted spoon, leaving the water in the pot.
Add the orecchiette to the same boiling water and cook for 12 minutes, or until al dente according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn pale gold. Do not let it brown.
Add the greens and drained orecchiette to the skillet. Toss for 2 minutes, adding a splash of reserved pasta water at a time until the oil and starch form a light coating on the pasta. Taste and add a little more salt if needed, then serve hot.
Make ahead and storage
This pasta is best just after tossing, but leftovers can be refrigerated in a covered container within 2 hours and kept for 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F (74°C), adding a little water to loosen the sauce.
Where it goes wrong
| If you see | It’s because | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| The greens stay tough and stringy. | Why Thick, fibrous stems were left on, or the greens were removed from the boiling water too soon. | Fix Trim the thickest stem ends and boil the greens until the stems are tender before lifting them out. |
| The pasta seems dry after tossing. | Why The pasta water was discarded or added too sparingly. | Fix Reserve the water before draining and add it a splash at a time as you toss. Its starch helps the olive oil cling to the pasta. |
Questions
Can you use broccoli rabe for cime di rapa?
Yes. Broccoli rabe is the usual American grocery-store name for cime di rapa. Trim the thick stems and cook the greens until tender.
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