serves
6
prep
5 minutes
cook
20 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
6
people
preparation
5
minutes
cooking
20
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 2 large bunches cime di rape (broccoli rabe), washed
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 4 anchovy fillets in olive oil
- 1 small red chilli (optional)
- 500 g orecchiette
- 100 g (1 cup) toasted breadcrumbs (See Note)
- extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
Discard the tough bottom part of the cime di rape and chop the rest roughly.
Put the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat with the garlic, anchovies and chilli (if using). Cook, stirring, allowing the anchovies to soften, for about 5 minutes. Add the cime di rape and combine well. Season to taste and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the cime di rape has wilted.
Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in boiling salted water until al dente.
While the orecchiette is cooking, skim off about a ladleful of the white, starchy pasta water and add it to the cime di rape sauce, stirring to combine.
Drain the pasta well and add it to the sauce in the pan and combine well. Transfer to a communal serving bowl, sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs and drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil. Season to taste and serve.
Note
• You can make your own breadcrumbs using bread that is a few days old. Cut it into small cubes, drizzle with olive oil and toast it in the oven at 180ºC for 8 minutes.
Recipe and images from Sharing Puglia by Luca Lorusso and Vivienne Polak (, $49.95, hbk).
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
