*Post updated May 2022.

After recently returning from Puglia in Southern Italy, I knew I had to update this blog post as Orecchiette with Rapini. Within hours of arriving in the home town of Corato, we were the guests of honour at a family dinner at home of Peter’s cousins. The meal was to die for and the pasta course was Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa. This is quintessential cucina povera ( peasant food) from Puglia and it was divine.
I originally posted the recipe as “pasta” with Rapini, but I feel like that is lazy. The beauty of this dish is the marriage of the tradional hat shaped Orechiette (little ears) with the Rapini.
So, while you can absolutely make this recipe with any pasta, if you can find the orecchiette, you’ll be so pleased with the results

Original post May 2020

I wasn’t very familiar with rapini before meeting my husband. The Italians love this slightly bitter green also known as broccoli rabe that’s very slightly reminiscent of broccoli even though it isn’t related to broccoli at all and is in fact in the turnip family. If you don’t want to boil it, You can pan sauté it with olive oil and chilli flakes until it wilts down. Rapini makes an amazing side dish or pizza topping (just make sure you drain it well).
This isn’t a typical pasta recipe that has a sauce, I would consider it more of a ‘dressed’ pasta. I love using spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine but any pasta will do. I personally love a lot of garlic with Rapini, that’s why I like to grate it rather than sautéing slices in oil for flavour then removing it as you might find in a traditional recipe. Definitely adjust to your own taste.

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Orecchiette with Rapini

A simple dish that is a traditional staple in the southern Italian region of Puglia

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword orecchiette, pasta, puglia, rapini

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Ingredients

1 Pound orecchiette pasta
1 Bunch rapini washed and roughly chopped including the stems
1/2 cup olive oil
2-3 large cloves garlic grated
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 cup of reserved pasta water
1½ cups Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Instructions

In a small bowl mix olive oil, grated garlic cloves and chilli flakes. Set aside
Boil pasta in according to package directions making sure your water is adequately salted. When the pasta is half way through it's cooking time, add the chopped rapini to the pot an continue to cook until pasta is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain.
While your pasta is draining, in the same pot heat up the olive oil mixture on low heat for a minute or 2 being careful not to burn your garlic. Turn the burner off. Add the pasta back into the pot and toss around to coat with the oil/chilli flakes/garlic. If your pasta is too dry add a bit olive oil or a bit of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up. Serve with lots of freshly grated Parmesan and extra chilli flakes if you like it hot.