Orecchiette With Mussels And Broccoli Rabe Recipes

ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Put a large pot of water to boil.
• In the meantime, wash broccoli rabe under cold running water.
• Remove all yellow and dull leaves. Trim off the bottoms of the stems to remove tough and fibrous parts.
• If some of the stems are still thick don't cut them off further but split the end with a knife until the stems thins out a bit. This will ensure your greens are cooked evenly. Chop coarsely.
• Once water is boiling add salt and broccoli rabe. Reduce the heat and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Past that time add orecchiette pasta and cook until pasta is "al dente". Verify cooking time on the directions on the package.
• Dry pasta cooks longer!
• While pasta and broccoli rabe are cooking prepare the sauce.
• In a large skillet pan add a generous splash of extra virgin olive oil, pinch of peperoncino (or fresh hot pepper), garlic cloves crushed with a flat knife and anchovy fillets.
• Cook on medium low heat stirring continuously. The sauce is ready once garlic becomes fragrant and anchovy fillets are dissolved. Remove garlic (optional). Turn off the heat.
• Drain pasta with broccoli rabe.
• Add it to a pan with the sauce. Turn on the heat and toss everything for a couple of minutes until all the flavors combine.

ORECCHIETTE WITH PANCETTA, PUMPKIN AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the pumpkin with olive oil and salt and place in a single layer on a sheet tray. Bake in the oven until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Set up a bowl of well-salted ice water. Drop the broccoli rabe into the pot of boiling water, swirl it around, remove it from the water and immediately plunge into the salty ice water. Reserve the boiling water. Remove the broccoli rabe from the ice water, squeeze out the excess water and reserve.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and add the pancetta and red pepper flakes. Bring the pan to medium heat and cook the pancetta until brown and crispy. Add the roasted pumpkin and about 3/4 cup of the broccoli rabe cooking water. Simmer until the water reduces by half, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the orecchiette to the reserved boiling broccoli rabe water and cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than the cooking time says on the box. Remove the pasta from the water and add to the pan with the pancetta and pumpkin. Add the broccoli rabe and about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Cook until the water has evaporated and the sauce clings to the pasta, about 1 minute. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the grated parmigiana. Toss vigorously.
• Divide the pasta among dishes, sprinkle with a little more grated parm and top with the roasted green pumpkin seeds.

ORECCHIETTE WITH MUSSELS AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. Once it is boiling, plop the orecchiette into the pasta water, and cook until al dente.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the crushed garlic. Let the garlic sizzle a minute, then add the mussels. Cover, and cook until the mussels open, about 5 minutes, then scoop the mussels up with a spider and put them in a bowl to cool slightly. Reserve any leftover liquid.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in another large skillet. Add the sliced garlic, and cook until sizzling and fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Toss in the broccoli rabe and peperoncino, and strain the reserved mussel cooking liquid into the skillet. Cover, and cook until the broccoli rabe is tender, about 10 minutes. If there is too much liquid left in the skillet and it looks soupy, uncover and bring to a rapid boil to reduce and thicken the sauce.
• Pluck the mussels from their shells, and put the meat in a small bowl. (No need to save the shells.) When the pasta is ready, use a spider to transfer it directly into the skillet with the broccoli rabe. Return the mussels to the skillet, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Remove from heat, toss with the grated cheese, and serve.

BROCCOLI RABE AND ORECCHIETTE

Steps:

• Place a pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil for pasta. Cover pot to bring water to a boil. Salt the water to season it and add half a pound of "little ears" pasta. Cook to al dente, about 7 minutes.
• Trim ends off broccoli rabe, coarsely chop it and add it to a deep skillet. Add 2 or 3 cups of water to the pan. Cover the pan and bring the broccoli rabe to a boil. When the rabe wilts down into the pan, salt it. Simmer the rabe for about 7 minutes until tender and no longer bitter. The color should remain deep green. Drain the rabe and reserve. Return the deep skillet to the stove and place it over medium heat. Add 5 turns of the pan of extra-virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and saute 2 to3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broccoli rabe and turn to coat them in garlic oil. Drain pasta reserving 3/4 cup of pasta water. Add the pasta and water to the pan. Toss pasta and broccoli rabe with lots of grated cheese, salt and pepper, to your taste. Serve immediately.

ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until beginning to color, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until beginning to soften, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add broccoli rabe and cook until pasta is just tender, but still firm to bite, about 3 minutes. Drain. Transfer pasta and broccoli rabe to large bowl. Pour garlic oil over. Sprinkle with cheeses and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.