(Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Ham appears in “The Ultimate Pasta and Noodle Cookbook,” slated for release on October 24, 2017.)
This recipe is a somewhat gussied up twist on an old classic from southern Italy and the region of Puglia in particular, ‘pasta e broccoletti.’
The original version, made with pasta, garlic, and red chiles, celebrates Italy’s beloved winter vegetable, broccoli rabe. This version goes a step further by adding onion for a touch of sweetness, capers for pungency, and ham for, well…for the love of it. Make sure to aggressively trim the broccoli rabe to just the florets, the smaller (and more tender) leaves, and the thinnest stems. Only then can you eliminate the bitterness for which broccoli rabe is known. (This recipe appears in “The Ultimate Pasta and Noodle Cookbook,” slated for release on October 24, 2017.)
I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I do!
orecchiette with broccoli rabe and ham
- Serves: 4
- Category: Pasta
Ingredients
- Salt
- 1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe, trimmed as described above
- 6 tbsps. + 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp. nonpareil capers, rinsed
- 4 ounces sliced ham, julienned
- 3/4 pound orecchiette or other pasta
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup freshly grated pecorino Sardo or pecorino Romano cheese for serving
How To
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once it’s boiling, add salt (1 tablespoon salt for every 4 cups) and stir. Add the broccoli rabe and boil for 6 minutes. Remove using a fine-meshed strainer and rinse under cold water. You will use the same pot of water to cook the pasta; keep the water at a low simmer until the sauce is almost done, then ratchet up the heat. Drain the broccoli rabe well, squeeze to remove excess water, then chop.
- Heat a large skillet over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and turn the heat to medium. Once it begins swirling but is not yet smoking, add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and stir. Cook, stirring a few times, until the onion turns translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the capers and ham and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture becomes very soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe and a couple pinches of salt, stir well to combine, and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and keep warm.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water, stirring for the first minute to prevent any sticking. Cook according to the package instructions, draining the pasta 2 minutes short of the directed cooking time. The pasta will be soft but still very firm. Right before draining the pasta, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Return the pot to the stove. Immediately turn the heat to high, add 1 teaspoon of the oil and the reserved pasta water. Quickly add the drained pasta and toss. Add the sauce, a few good cracks of pepper, and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and cook, tossing continuously, for 2 minutes.
- Divide the pasta among four warmed bowls. Serve piping hot topped with the pecorino (or pass the grated cheese at the table).
