Italian · Lunch · Dinner
Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe
Orecchiette alle cime di rapa
Little ear-shaped pasta from Puglia tossed with tender, pleasantly bitter broccoli rabe, garlic, anchovy and a hint of chilli. It is finished with crunchy toasted breadcrumbs in place of cheese.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 63% · Fat 20% · Protein 17%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 4 litres, mostly drained away (a splash kept for the sauce)4,000 gWater, for boiling (optional)
- 2 tsp, mostly drained away with the water10 gSalt, for the pasta water (optional)
- 2 large bunches800 gBroccoli rabe (cime di rapa)
- 3 1/4 cups320 gDried orecchiette (durum wheat)
- 1/4 cup28 gPlain dry breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp27 gExtra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves9 gGarlic, thinly sliced
- 4 fillets16 gAnchovy fillets in oil, drained
- 1/2 tspDried chilli flakes
Steps
- 1
Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add the salt.
- 2
Wash the broccoli rabe. Discard any tough stem ends and yellow leaves.
- 3
Cut the tender stems into 3 cm pieces and roughly chop the leaves and florets.
- 4
Add the orecchiette to the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes.
- 5
Add the broccoli rabe to the same pot and cook for 8–9 more minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the greens are tender.
- 6
While the pasta cooks, toast the breadcrumbs in a dry large frying pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until golden. Tip them into a bowl.
- 7
Warm the olive oil in the same pan over low heat.
- 8
Add the garlic, anchovies and chilli flakes. Stir gently for 2–3 minutes, until the anchovies melt and the garlic is pale gold. Do not let the garlic brown.
- 9
Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and greens.
- 10
Add the pasta and greens to the frying pan with a splash of the reserved water.
- 11
Toss over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, adding more water if needed, until glossy and well coated.
- 12
Serve in bowls topped with the toasted breadcrumbs.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a vegan version, leave out the anchovies and melt in 1 tbsp of chopped capers or a little white miso instead.
- If you can't find broccoli rabe, use regular broccoli or broccolini for a milder, less bitter dish.
- For a gluten-free version, use pasta and breadcrumbs labelled gluten-free; everything else in the recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- Swap the plain breadcrumbs for panko or toasted chopped almonds or walnuts for extra crunch.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, keeping the breadcrumbs separate in a sealed jar at room temperature so they stay crisp. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water until steaming hot; this dish is best eaten fresh and does not freeze well.
Make ahead
Toast the breadcrumbs up to 3 days ahead and store them in an airtight jar at room temperature. You can also wash and chop the broccoli rabe a day ahead and keep it in the fridge wrapped in a damp towel.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: GlutenFish
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 441 kcal | 147 kcal |
| Protein | 19 g | 6.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 71.4 g | 23.8 g |
| of which sugars | 3.4 g | 1.1 g |
| Fiber | 8.4 g | 2.8 g |
| Fat | 9.8 g | 3.3 g |
| of which saturated | 1.5 g | 0.5 g |
| Sodium | 269 mg | 90 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
