orecchiette + sugo di cime di rapa

They’re one of the most satisfying shapes of pasta to eat, in my opinion, because you can scoop up whatever sauce you’ve made to go with them so perfectly! They’re also quite straightforward to make and freeze very well, meaning you can make a bigger batch and just boil them wherever you feel like having some again. ​

For 2 people 


Ingredients:

200g durum wheat flour (semola di grano duro rimacinata)
Water (1 cup more or less. You might end up using more or less!)


For the cime di rapa sauce: 
500g cime di rapa (turnip tips, turnip greens or broccoli work too) 
Olive oil 
Bread crumbs 
4 canned anchovies in olive oil 
3 garlic clove 


Directions: 

1. Place the flour in a bowl and start adding water, gradually. Every time you add water, mix the dough with a fork. When the dough starts to look clumpy start working it with your hands (still in the bowl or on a wooden surface if you prefer). 
2. Knead the dough with your hands until you have a smooth, compact ball. If it’s too wet, add more flour and if it’s too dry add more water. 
3. Place the dough under a cloth, or wrap it in clingfilm. Remove a chunk and roll it out to a width of roughly 1cm. 
4. Use a small knife (possibly with a round tip—a knife you eat with not cook with) to cut 1cm squares out of the dough you rolled. Then, place your knife at the top of the square and push it down, towards you. Shaping them is the trickiest part, I recommend watching this video to see how it’s properly done (from 1:45).
5. Once you’ve formed all the orecchiette, bring a pot of water to boil and place a handful of rock salt. Throw in the orecchiette and cook them till they are al dente. Because they’re made with durum wheat flour, they’ll take from 10 to 15 minutes to cook. I recommend tasting them after an initial 8 mins have passed to see how cooked they are. 
6. For the sauce, separate the cime di rapa leaves from the stalks and rip them apart with your hands. Separate the tender part of the stalks  with the hard one and peel the tender part, then chop them roughly. Wash the leaves and chopped tender stalks thoroughly and place them on a kitchen towel to dry. 
7. Peel two garlic cloves, cut them in half and place them in a pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil—you can also add a few chili flakes if you feel like it. When the garlic has softened, add the cime di rapa and being cooking them. If they’re dry, cover them with a lid and if they’re too wet leave them uncovered. Either way, sauté them for 15 minutes. 
8. In a separate pan, place a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs with some olive oil and cook them for a few minutes, until they become toasted. Remove and set aside. Use the same pan to sauté a crushed garlic clove with a tablespoon of olive oil on low heat. And add the 4 anchovies and let them dissolve. 
9. Drain the orecchiette when they are “al dente” and add them to the pan with the anchovies, mix well. Drop in the cime di rapa and combine everything. 
10. Plate the orecchiette and sprinkle each plate with the toasted breadcrumbs and a good shaving of Parmigiano or Pecorino.