Orecchiette with Cime di Rapa
Orecchiette with Cime di Rapa is a traditional recipe from Puglia, made with handmade pasta, broccoli rabe, olive oil and garlic.
It is one of the most iconic dishes of Italian cucina povera and a true symbol of Puglian home cooking, loved in the UK for its bold, authentic flavours.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
320 g orecchiette (fresh or dried)
700 g cime di rapa (broccoli rabe), trimmed
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)
4 anchovy fillets in oil (optional but very traditional)
Salt, to taste
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Add cime di rapa and boil 3–5 min (until tender).
Add orecchiette into the same pot and cook until al dente (fresh cooks fast). Reserve 1 cup pasta water.
In a pan: olive oil + garlic + chilli. Add anchovies (if using) and melt them gently.
Drain pasta/greens and toss in pan. Add a splash of pasta water to emulsify. Serve hot.
Tips and Variations
Trim the cime di rapa carefully, using mostly tender leaves and florets.
Cook the greens and pasta in the same water for authentic flavour and efficiency.
Add pasta water gradually to create a light emulsion with the olive oil.
Anchovies should melt into the oil, not dominate the dish.
History of Orecchiette Baresi with rabe
This dish is the symbol of Puglian cuisine.
Orecchiette are traditionally handmade by women sitting outside their homes, shaping pasta with their thumbs.
Cime di rapa (broccoli rabe) grows abundantly in Puglia’s climate and pairs naturally with olive oil and chilli.
The recipe perfectly represents cucina povera: simple ingredients, bold flavours, no waste.Bread plays a central role in Puglian cuisine. Thanks to the region’s long wheat-growing tradition, many recipes are based on dough, semolina flour, and slow fermentation.
Among the most famous examples is focaccia barese, a soft and flavourful bread topped with cherry tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil.
