Orecchiette pasta, made with turnip greens, is a traditional dish from Puglia, notably the city of Bari. In Puglia, this special dish has several names, but the most common ones are recchie or recchietelle, meaning “small ears” because that’s what their shape resembles.
This simple, flavorful, and hearty dish comes from a peasant tradition; it blends rustic and strong flavors into an unbelievably tempting dish. You must really cook this if you want to fully experience the food culture from Puglia, the region called the “heel” of the Italian boot. Give it a try.
This pasta dish, common throughout Puglia, can be paired with turnip greens as well as with broccoli or tomato sauce. Since turnip greens are not available all year, you may use broccoli rabe, or rapini in Italy. They are similar in taste. Or better yet, look for Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan), which is common in Asian grocery stores in the US.
Orecchiette is easy to make
Orecchiette is a fresh or dry pasta made from durum wheat flour and is well known and appreciated all around the world. Its curved shape pairs wonderfully with all kinds of sauces. Fresh orecchiette pasta takes about 5 minutes to cook, a little longer if it is dry. Just follow the cooking time on the package, but taste it before draining. This is a good practice with any pasta you are cooking.
tips and tricks
Actually, the secret to this dish is cooking the vegetables with pasta. With a little practice and some knowledge of the main ingredients, you can make this dish. I am here to help you.
In the past, poor farmers and peasants could not afford cheese, which was very expensive. They replaced it with toasted bread crumbs, which they pretended were cheese and which is why they’re still in the recipe.
how to store it
To store orecchiette pasta with turnip greens, start by cooking the pasta according to package instructions and preparing the turnip greens by washing them thoroughly and cutting them into bite-sized pieces. Once cooked, drain the pasta and set it aside. In a separate container, store the cooked turnip greens in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When ready to serve, simply reheat the turnip greens and toss them with freshly cooked orecchiette pasta for a delicious and nutritious meal. Remember to store any leftovers promptly in the fridge to maintain freshness.
Orecchiette Turnip Greens
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh or dry orecchiette
- ½ lb turnip greens (leaves and floret)
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 red chili pepper
- 1 clove of garlic
- 3 salt- or oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 2 tbsp black olive paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- salt
Instructions
- Clean the turnip greens: discard the external larger leaves and the stalks. With the help of a sharp knife, remove the soft leaves and the florets.
- Properly rinse them under running water, dry them, and put them aside.
- Fill a large stockpot with plenty of salted water and bring to a boil.
- When the water boils, add the turnip greens and cook for 5 minutes.
- Toast the breadcrumbs until golden over medium heat in a pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Rinse the anchovies under running water to wash off the salt and oil.
- In another pan heat the remaining oil, add the red pepper flakes, the unpeeled garlic clove, and the anchovy fillets. Sauté over medium-low heat; otherwise; the high temperature will make the oil and the anchovies bitter. Simmer it very very slowly.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until the anchovy fillets have melted; Cook for a few minutes, remove from the heat, and discard the garlic. If you are vegan, you can add black olive paste as a substitute for the anchovy.
- After the turnip greens have cooked for 5 minutes, add the orecchiette and follow the cooking time on the package; stir gently.
- When done, drain orecchiette with the turnip greens; remember to save a scoop of cooking water: you may need it in case the sauce gets too thick. Pour them into the pan with the anchovy sauce.
- Sauté gently and season with salt.
- Taste it and see if it needs some more oil.
- Remove it from the heat, place the orecchiette in bowls, and top with a drizzle of olive oil and the toasted breadcrumbs. This is a special dish that you must share with your family.
