Orecchiette with Rapini Recipe – Classic Italian Orecchiette con Cime di Rape

Orecchiette with Rapini Recipe

This Orecchiette with Rapini recipe is a classic Italian pasta dish known for its bold flavors and simple ingredients. Featured on Bonacini’s Italy, host Michael Bonacini demonstrates how to prepare tender homemade orecchiette pasta tossed with sautéed rapini, garlic, chili flakes, and toasted pine nuts. The slightly bitter greens balance beautifully with the rich olive oil and nutty parmesan, creating a comforting yet vibrant dish that captures the essence of traditional Italian cooking.

The Inspiration

Orecchiette con Cime di Rape is a beloved dish from southern Italy, particularly the region of Puglia. The name orecchiette means “little ears,” referring to the small, concave pasta shapes that perfectly hold sauces and vegetables. Traditionally, this dish pairs the pasta with rapini (also known as broccoli rabe), garlic, olive oil, and chili flakes.

The dish reflects the philosophy of Italian cucina povera—“poor kitchen”—where simple ingredients are used creatively to produce deeply satisfying meals. Rapini grows abundantly in southern Italy and has long been paired with pasta to create hearty, nutritious dishes.

Chef Michael Bonacini’s version stays true to these roots while encouraging home cooks to try making fresh pasta from scratch. The homemade orecchiette provide a tender yet chewy texture that captures the garlicky olive oil sauce and small pieces of rapini in every bite.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (470 ml) flour
• ¾ cups (180 ml) semolina flour
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
• ¾ cup (180 ml) warm water
• 1 pound (454 g) rapini
• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pepper flakes
• ½ cup (120 ml) pine nuts
• Grated parmesan, for serving
• Salt

Method

• To make the pasta, sift together flour and semolina flour in a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flours.
• In a separate bowl, dissolve the salt in the water. Pour the salt water into the well in the flour. Pull flour in from the sides of the bowl to the centre, mixing together, then kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Break off pieces of the dough and roll into thin logs. Cut each log into rounds. Put a round in your palm, then press your thumb into it to form an indent. Set on a baking tray dusted with semolina to dry for a minimum of 1 hour. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
• Bring a large pot of well salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rapini and cook until tender, 5-6 minutes. Drain.
• In a separate pot of boiling, well-salted water, cook dried orecchiette until pasta is almost al dente, 4-5 minutes. Drain, but reserve ½ cup (120 ml) of pasta water.
• In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add garlic, pepper flakes, and pine nuts and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add cooked rapini and pasta. Toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water, then swirl and toss the contents of the pan to form a silky sauce.
• Serve sprinkled with parmesan and drizzled with olive oil.
• Buon appetito!

Serving Suggestions

This rustic pasta dish pairs beautifully with simple sides that highlight Italian flavors. A crisp green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil complements the richness of the pasta. Crusty Italian bread is also a wonderful accompaniment, perfect for soaking up the flavorful garlic oil sauce.

For beverages, consider serving this dish with a light Italian white wine such as Verdicchio or Pinot Grigio. The bright acidity of the wine balances the slight bitterness of the rapini and enhances the nutty flavors of the pine nuts.

Final Thoughts

This Orecchiette with Rapini recipe captures the heart of traditional southern Italian cooking. With homemade pasta, simple aromatics, and vibrant greens, the dish showcases how a few high-quality ingredients can create something deeply flavorful and satisfying.

Chef Michael Bonacini’s interpretation stays true to its Italian roots while guiding home cooks through the rewarding process of making fresh pasta. The result is a comforting dish with layers of flavor—from garlicky olive oil and spicy chili flakes to tender rapini and nutty parmesan.