Orecchiette Pasta with Brocolli Rabe

Servings: 6
Source: Bon Appétit May 1995
In Apulia, women still make pasta at home. Their favorite pasta shape – and the symbol of the region – is arecchiette, or “”little ears””. Called recchie or recchietelle in the local dialect, orecchiette is eaten just about daily, but is prepared a different way in almost every village. The sauces for this whimsical pasta are straightforward and usually contain vegetables, beans or legumes. This recipe is one of the most basic.

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil, including all of the oil in the anchovy tin
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 oz orecchiette or shell pasta
1 lb broccoli rabe, trimmed, chopped
1 entire 2oz tin of anchovies, chopped
parmesan cheese
chile flakes

Directions
Heat oil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until beginning to color, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until beginning to soften, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add broccoli rabe and cook until pasta is just tender, but still firm to bite, about 3 minutes. Drain. Transfer pasta and broccoli rabe to large bowl. Pour garlic oil over. Add in chopped anchovies and pepper flakes to taste, and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese individually.