Preparation Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 4
Submitted by: Olio Guglielmi
Suggested Olive Oil: Olio Guglielmi ROBUSTO
A traditional pasta dish from the south of Italy, made with orecchiette and turnip tops, a great recipe both for its simplicity and for its flavour. The orecchiette with turnip tops, also called “recchitelle” or “strascinati”, are one of the most typical dishes of Apulia, especially of Andria; this simple yet tasty first course is prepared in the whole region, and can be seasoned with other sauces other than turnip tops, such as broccoli or tomato sauce.
The ingredients are simple and poor, but perfect to enjoy the scents and flavors of Puglia. Also you could combine this dish a good rosé wine, the black Bombino serve at a temperature of 12 °.
Ingredients
6 Tablespoons Olio Guglielmi ROBUSTO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
800gr. Turnip Tops
6 Anchovy Fillets in oil
1 Fresh Hot Pepper
2 Cloves of Garlic
400g of Orechiette
Preparation
Take the turnip tops already cleaned (which consists in removing the big or damaged leaves and the toughest parts of the stems, keeping the tender and small parts), cut them into pieces and wash them well under cold running water. Cut the chili pepper into circles.
Put a pot on the stove with plenty of salted water and when it comes to a boil add the turnip tops; once boiled, drain them and keep the cooking water aside, which will be put on the fire again to boil the orecchiette. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, brown lightly the 2 cloves of garlic, smashed or finely cut, with the oil, the anchovies cut into pieces and the chopped chili pepper.
When the garlic is golden brown and the anchovies are smashed (don’t fry them for too long or they’ll become bitter), add the well drained turnip tops and sauté them for a few minutes. Then boil the orecchiette in the same cooking water used for the turnip tops.
Drain the orecchiette al dente and add them to the dressing in the saucepan, sauté them for a few seconds adding some of the cooking water if too dry, then serve immediately.
