Vegan Orecchiette with Cime di Rapa

🛒 Ingredients

• 400 g orecchiette pasta (egg‑free / vegan variety)
• 600 g fresh cime di rapa (rapini), trimmed — tough lower stems removed, florets and leaves kept
• 4–5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 3–4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ½–1 tsp dried chilli flakes (adjust to taste)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2–3 tbsp pasta cooking water, reserved
• Optional: lemon zest or vegan grated Parmesan / nutritional yeast for serving

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cime di rapa first and blanch for 3–4 minutes to soften slightly and mellow the bitterness. Remove with a slotted spoon, keep the water boiling, and set the greens aside.

2. 2

   In the same boiling water, cook the orecchiette according to the package instructions until al dente — it should still have a firm bite. Before draining, scoop out and reserve about ½ cup of the starchy cooking water.

3. 3

   While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium‑low heat. Add the sliced garlic and chilli flakes, and sauté gently for 1–2 minutes until the garlic is pale golden and fragrant — do not let it burn or turn dark brown.

4. 4

   Add the blanched cime di rapa to the skillet, season lightly with salt and plenty of black pepper, and toss well for 3–4 minutes so the greens absorb all the wonderful garlic and chilli flavour.

5. 5

   Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with a splash of the reserved cooking water. Toss everything together over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until the pasta is well coated and the sauce clings beautifully. Drizzle with extra olive oil, add lemon zest or nutritional yeast if you like, and serve hot! 🍝🌿