Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa

Ingredients

• 400g orecchiette
• 800g cime di rapa, or broccoli rabe
• 5 anchovy fillets in oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 dried red chilli
• 60ml extra virgin olive oil
• 50g stale coarse breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for the crumbs
• 1 tbsp coarse salt, for the pasta water

Before you cook

• Strip the cime di rapa, keeping the flowering heads, the small leaves and the thin tender stems, and discard the thick woody stalks
• Wash the greens well in two changes of cold water
• Peel the garlic and squash the cloves flat with the side of a knife
• Crumble the dried chilli
• Tear the stale bread into coarse crumbs

Steps

1. Toast the breadcrumbs in a small pan with a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until crisp and golden.
2. Tip the crumbs onto kitchen paper and set them aside.
3. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the coarse salt.
4. Add the cime di rapa to the boiling water and cook them for 4 minutes.
5. Add the orecchiette to the same pot and stir well.
6. Cook the pasta and greens together until the orecchiette are al dente, usually 10 to 12 minutes.
7. Warm the 60ml of olive oil in a wide pan over low heat with the flattened garlic and chilli.
8. Cook the garlic gently for 3 minutes until it turns pale gold, then lift the cloves out and discard them.
9. Add the anchovies and press them into the oil until they dissolve.
10. Scoop out a mugful of the green cooking water and set it aside.
11. Drain the pasta and greens and tip them into the anchovy oil.
12. Toss everything over medium heat for 2 minutes, crushing some of the greens against the pan so they coat the pasta.
13. Loosen with a splash of the reserved water if it looks dry.
14. Serve into warm bowls with the toasted breadcrumbs scattered over the top.