Ingredients:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
9 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes ( optional but i usually add way more than this)
ice water
1 1/2 lbs trimmed broccoli rabe ( i don’t think that regular broccoli would be a good substitute)
1 lb dried orecchiette
kosher salt
Directions:
in an unheated large saute pan, add garlic and pepper flakes to oil and then turn the heat to medium.
allow the garlic and flakes to color lightly but not burn.
cook for about 1-2 minutes.
turn off heat and set aside.
place a large bowl of ice water nearby.
in a large pot of salted water, brought up to the boil, add the brocccoli rabe and cook for 2-4 minutes until just tender.
using tongs remove broccoli rabe from the boiling water into the bowl of ice water to stop it’s cooking BUT leave the water boiling on high for your pasta.
drain broccoli rabe from ice water and then gently squeeze out excess liquid and chop into 2″ lengths.
add the pasta to the boiling water that was used for the broccoli rabe.
cook according to the package directions.
add the broccoli rabe to the saute pan with the oil and garlic.
return to medium heat, stir occasionally and add salt to taste.
cook for about 3-4 minutes until broccoli rabe is hot and heated through.
drain pasta (you don’t need the water anymore).
return pasta to the still warm cooking pot.
add the broccoli rabe along with all the oil and garlic and flakes to the pasta in the pot.
toss briefly– the oil becomes your”sauce”.
it should coat everything lightly and not be excessively oily.
serve immediately.
if you like you can add freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese but i think it tastes better without.
Servings: 4
Time preparation: 15 min.
Time total: 35 min.