Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe

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Orecchiette means “little ears”—any small sized pasta shape such as penne would work in this. If you can’t find broccoli rabe, standard broccoli works fine.

Ingredients

12 ounces (340g) orecchiette

2 pounds (910g) broccoli rabe or broccoli, (about 4 cups)

2 Tbsp (30g) extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp (1g) red pepper flakes, (or more)

1/2 tsp (3g) salt (sea salt if on a corn-free diet*)

1/2 cup (60g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese*

Directions

Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving about 1 cup (250mL) of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, trim the broccoli rabe into pieces about 2 inches (5cm) long, removing any stalks that are larger than 1/2-inch (1.25cm) in thickness. Chop coarsely.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. Add broccoli rabe, salt and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1–2 minutes. Add the 1 cup (250mL) of reserved cooking water and cook for about 5 minutes, until the broccoli is a vibrant dark green colour. Transfer the pasta to the skillet and toss to coat the pasta with the vegetable and the juices. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

* Allergy notes: People following a corn-free diet should avoid iodized salt since it contains dextrose, which should be avoided by those allergic to corn. The egg protein lysozyme is an unlabeled additive in some cheeses. People allergic to eggs should eliminate any cheese in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts
Calories: 302
Total Fat: 7g
% Calories from fat: 20%
Protein: 13g
Carbohydrate: 47g
Cholesterol: 5mg
Sodium: 327mg