Broccoli rabe, also called rapini, is a leafy vegetable with small flower clusters resembling broccoli florets. I like to cook it with onions because their natural sweetness balances its slight bitterness. The bow-shaped pasta is worth going out of your way to get; it is delicious, and its bulky shape is a good match for the broccoli rabe sauce.
SERVES 4
1 large bunch broccoli rabe (about 1Вј pounds untrimmed)
2 tablespoons butter
ВЅ cup olive oil
2 large onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound farfalle (bow-shaped pasta)
ВЅ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
ВЅ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile chop the coarse stems off the broccoli rabe and discard them. (The remaining stems shouldn’t be any thicker than the diameter of a pencil.) Clean it very well by dunking it in a pan of cold water several times. Drain thoroughly, then coarsely chop it. You should have about 6 cups.
- Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onions and garlic and saut, tossing regularly, for 10 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe and cook it, tossing from time to time, until it is tender about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile drop the farfalle into the boiling water and cook until al dente. Taste to make sure.
- Season the broccoli rabe with salt and pepper. When the farfalle is done, drain it thoroughly in a colander. Return it to the pot or a warm serving bowl and spoon on the greens and their sauce. Toss, sprinkle on the cheese, and toss again. Serve immediately.
