Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa

Ingredients

• 1 pound orecchiette pasta
• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe, trimmed and chopped
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 fillets anchovy fillets, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for pasta water
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1

   Bring an 8-quart pot of water to a boil and add the kosher salt.

   10:00 · Bring water to a boil
2. 2

   Add the chopped broccoli rabe to the boiling water and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes, then scoop it out with a slotted spoon and set aside, keeping the water in the pot.

   3:00 · Blanch broccoli rabe
3. 3

   Add the orecchiette to the same pot of boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 11 minutes, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

   11:00 · Cook orecchiette
4. 4

   While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a 9-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and just starting to turn golden, about 1 minute.

   1:00 · Sauté garlic
5. 5

   Add the minced anchovy and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook, mashing the anchovy into the oil, until it dissolves, about 1 minute.

   1:00 · Dissolve anchovy
6. 6

   Add the blanched broccoli rabe to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic oil, cooking until heated through and tender, about 3 minutes.

   3:00 · Cook broccoli rabe
7. 7

   Add the drained orecchiette to the skillet along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and toss over medium heat until the sauce lightly coats the pasta, about 2 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed.

   2:00 · Toss pasta with sauce
8. 8

   Remove from heat, stir in the grated Pecorino Romano, and season with black pepper to taste. Serve immediately with extra cheese on the side.