A simple, fresh take on Cime di Rapa sauce, a traditional Puglian sauce that goes perfectly with orecchiette. ‘Cime di rapa’ literally translates to ‘turnip tops’ and are the leafy green tops of broccoli rabe or rapini. Traditionally, cime di rapa were used in traditional Italian cooking as they were the only parts of the harvest left after farmers sold off the majority of their produce to wealthier regions. The leftovers, such as the cime di rapa, were used to make their own meals.
This cime di rapa recipe comes from our limited edition Pasta della Puglia Masterclass, but you can learn the ins and outs of other traditional Italian sauces in a Barbetta Pasta Masterclass any time of the year.
INGREDIENTS
- Hand-made orecchiette pasta, or 300-350g of dried orecchiette
- 1 bunch cime di rapa (from selected greengrocers or Italian delis)
- 150mL extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup (70g) fresh breadcrumbs
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 8 anchovy fillets in oil, drained, finely chopped
- 1 long red chilli, finely chopped
