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Orecchiette Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Cherry Tomatoes

cake November 9, 2017

For this pasta dish, broccoli rabe and orecchiette are cooked in the same pot. You could stop there and simply finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and some finely grated Pecorino or Parmigiano, but it’s exceptionally good tossed with capers, garlic, pesto, hot red chiles and tomatoes.

photos coco zordan

The Recipe

Servings

4-6

Prep time

10 min.

Cooking time

12 min.

Ingredients

1 pound orecchiette pasta De Cecco or Barilla
1 pound broccoli rabe trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound ripe tomatoes (cherry or roman) cut in half
4-6 fresh basil leaves
1/4 c. pesto capers, bread crumbs
or 1 clove of garlic if you’re not using pesto
salt and pepper or hot red chiles
7 Tbs or more XVOO
freshly grated parmesan cheese or pecorino

Directions

bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and cut broccoli into about 2-inch pieces, add to the boiling water to cook. Remove after 5/7 minutes , or when cooked but still “al dente”. Keep the water! Set the broccoli aside.

In the same water cook the orecchiette according to package instructions until al dente (usually 2-3 minutes less than the suggested cooking time of the box).

While the pasta is cooking, to a large bowl add pesto + 1/4 cup of hot pasta water (or garlic + basil leaves and XV olive oil).

Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water. (Always save some pasta water in any recipe). Add pasta and broccoli rabe, to the bowl.

Top with the tomatoes, grated cheese, drizzle with XVOO and serve immediately. Buon Appetito with the “Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Tomatoes”!