Orecchiette Con Cime Di Rapa
Ingredients
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil – divided
- 2 tbsp kosher salt – for boiling water
- 20 ounces broccoli rabe (rapini) – tough ends trimmed; stems cut into 1-inch pieces; leaves and florets left larger
- 14 ounces dried orecchiette
- 3 cloves garlic – thinly sliced
- 4 fillets oil-packed anchovy fillets – finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
1. Toast the breadcrumbs: Warm 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until deep golden and crisp, 3–5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the kosher salt.
3. Build the sauce base: In the same skillet, add the remaining 4 tbsp olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat until the garlic is fragrant and just turning pale gold, 2–3 minutes. Add the anchovies and mash until dissolved, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat so the garlic doesn’t brown while the pasta cooks.
4. Cook the greens and pasta together: Add the broccoli rabe stems and larger pieces to the boiling water and cook 2 minutes. Add the remaining leaves/florets along with the orecchiette. Cook together, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and the greens are tender, 8–11 minutes more (taste a piece of pasta; it should be just firm in the center). Reserve 0.75 cup of the cooking water, then drain.
5. Combine: Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the drained pasta and greens along with 0.5 cup reserved cooking water. Toss vigorously until the oil, anchovy, and pasta water emulsify and coat the orecchiette, 1–2 minutes; add a splash more water if it looks dry. Adjust seasoning to taste.
6. Serve immediately, sprinkling each portion generously with the toasted breadcrumbs.
Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa is a hallmark pasta from Puglia, Italy, celebrated for its bold, earthy flavors and satisfying textures. Chewy, cup-shaped orecchiette cradle tender, pleasantly bitter turnip tops (broccoli rabe), while garlic, anchovy, and peperoncino perfume the dish with savory heat. A final shower of crisp, toasted breadcrumbs adds a rustic crunch in place of cheese, letting the greens and olive oil shine.
Rooted in cucina povera, this dish reflects Southern Italy’s resourcefulness and seasonality. Orecchiette have been hand-shaped in Bari for generations, traditionally paired with winter cime di rapa at their peak. Anchovies bring depth without extravagance, and the breadcrumb topping—mollica—recalls the frugal custom of using stale bread. Over time, the method of boiling pasta and greens together and finishing in olive oil has become the defining technique across the region.