Broccoli Rabe Pesto Bruschetta Recipes

ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI RABE PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Set up a bowl of well-salted ice water. Cook the broccoli rabe in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes and then immediately plunge in the salted ice water. This will prevent the broccoli rabe from being overcooked and will set the lovely green color.
• Drain the broccoli rabe and squeeze out any excess water; coarsely chop. Place the broccoli rabe in the bowl of a food processor and puree until it is a coarse paste. Add the pistachios and parmigiano and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning; you probably will need more salt. Add the ricotta and pulse until combined. Taste for seasoning once again-it should be full-flavored, slightly bitter and creamy at the same time. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. (If you are making the pasta right after the pesto, just use the broccoli rabe blanching water.) Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the cooking time on the package.
• While the pasta is cooking, place the pesto in a large skillet and add about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water; place over medium-high heat. When the pasta is ready, drain and add to the skillet with the pesto. Stir vigorously to combine and cook until the sauce is creamy and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes; add salt to taste. Remove from the heat, add 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, if desired, and stir vigorously. Garnish with more parmigiano. Voila!

ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI-RABE PESTO

Steps:

• Cook broccoli rabe in a large pot of salted boiling water until bright green and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath; drain well. Add to the bowl of a food processor with garlic, walnuts, cheese, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add 1/4 cup oil; process until smooth.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium. Add salami; cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.
• Meanwhile, return pot of water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups water. Add pasta to skillet with pesto and half of salami. Add pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, to evenly coat. Season with pepper and nutmeg, sprinkle with remaining salami, and serve.

ORECCHIETTE WITH SWEET SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI RABE PESTO

Steps:

• Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a pot and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add broccoli rabe and cook about 5 minutes, until tender. Drain and place in a large bowl of ice water. Drain and squeeze dry. Turn on a food processor and drop garlic in through the feed tube. Stop machine, scrape down sides and add broccoli rabe. Pulse until finely chopped. Stop machine. Add 6 tablespoons oil. Pulse until pesto comes together but is not creamy or thoroughly emulsified. Transfer to a bowl and fold in ¼ cup cheese.
• Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan on low. Add fennel and onion, and cook until soft but not brown. Add sausage and cook, mashing it to a fine crumble, until it is no longer pink. Add chicken stock and cook until the stock has mostly evaporated and just glazes the sausage. Transfer sausage mixture to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Return sausage to the pan. Fold in broccoli rabe pesto. Set aside.
• Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orecchiette and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Reheat sausage mixture and add about ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain pasta and add to pan with the sausage mixture. Toss ingredients together until pasta is evenly coated. Fold in remaining ½ cup cheese, check seasoning and serve.

BRUSCHETTA 3 WAYS

Steps:

• For the candied tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil.
• Place the tomatoes in a single layer on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the thyme, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Roast until the tomatoes are juicy and slightly charred around the edges, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer the tomatoes to a plate and let cool until ready to use. Set the sheet pan aside (leave the foil on).
• Meanwhile, for the broccoli rabe: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the broccoli rabe. Cook until bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the broccoli rabe with a spider or slotted spoon, leaving the water in the pot.
• While the broccoli cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Add the pepper flakes and garlic. Place the broccoli rabe directly into the skillet. Add the honey, season with salt and pepper, and cook until heated through and the flavors are combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a bowl and let cool until ready to use.
• For the mint and peas: Drop the shucked peas into the pot of boiling water the broccoli rabe cooked in. Boil the peas until they are tender and bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and place immediately into a large bowl filled halfway with ice water. Once cool, drain and transfer to a medium bowl. Smash the peas with a fork. Stir in the mint and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper and set aside until ready to use.
• For the garlic toast: Turn the oven to broil. Place the sliced baguette on the reserved sheet pan. Drizzle one side of the slices with oil and broil until golden, about 30 seconds. Remove from oven and rub each slice of toast with garlic. Season with salt.
• For the zesty ricotta: Combine the ricotta and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir until smooth. Add a third of the lemon-ricotta mixture to the mint-pea mixture and stir until combined.
• Spread two-thirds of the toast slices with the zesty ricotta. Top half of the ricotta toast slices with candied tomatoes and the other half of the slices with broccoli rabe. Sprinkle the broccoli rabe with pecorino. Spread the mint and pea mixture on the remaining toast slices.

ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI RABE PESTO AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• For the pesto: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Drop the rabe into the water, give it a swish, and remove it immediately, saving the water to cook your pasta in later.
• Reserve a cup of the rabe. Toss the rest in a food processor and pulse, pulse, pulse until you have a coarse paste. Add the pistachios and Parm and puree until smooth. If it seems dry, drizzle in a little olive oil while the machine is running. Add the mascarpone and pulse until combined; taste for seasoning. It should be slightly bitter, nutty, and creamy at the same time. Reserve.
• For the pasta: Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Add the sausage, using a spoon to break it up, and cook until brown and crumbly, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Bring your broccoli rabe water back to a boil and toss in the pasta, cooking for 1 minute less than the package recommends. Drain the pasta and add it, along with 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water, the reserved rabe, and two-thirds of the pesto, to the pan with the sausage. Stir to combine and cook until the water evaporates and the pesto is clinging to the pasta. Remove from the heat, drizzle with some big fat finishing oil, sprinkle with more Parm, and stir vigorously to combine. Divide among bowls and serve immediately.
• What delightful little ears!