Orecchiette with turnip tops is a very quick and simple recipe.
Difficulty: easy
Method: 10
Cooking: 15
Difficulty: easy
Method: 10
Cooking: 15
Trim turnip tops by detaching leaves and florets from hard stalks
Rinse turnip tops thoroughly under running water
Pour extra virgin olive oil into a large pan (it will also be used for the pasta at the end)
Add garlic
Add chopped chili pepper
Add anchovies, drained of preservation oil
Cook over low heat, stirring until anchovies break down
Remove garlic
Roughly cut up bread
Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a pan
Toast bread until golden brown
Put the turnip tops in salted, boiling water
Cook for 5 minutes
Add orecchiette and stir
Continue cooking until orecchiette are cooked al dente
Transfer orecchiette and turnip tops to the pan of anchovy oil
Over low heat, let oil infuse pasta and turnip tops, adding a tablespoon of pasta cooking water
Transfer orecchiette with turnip tops to serving dishes
Garnish with toasted breadcrumbs
To respect the regional origin of this recipe, we suggest you stay in Puglia and pair orecchiette with a soft white wine, like a Chardonnay from Bari, or with a fresh Locorotondo.
If you prefer red wine, you could venture an Apulian First coursestivo di Manduria.
Orecchiette with turnip tops is a very quick and simple recipe, we do not recommend preparing it in advance.
Discard the tough parts and any yellow leaves on the turnip tops.
Be careful to cook the anchovy oil over very gentle heat—the anchovies should only break apart and the garlic should not burn.
The pasta should not be overcooked! Whether you use homemade or store-bought orecchiette, don’t forget to taste the pasta while cooking it and drain it when it is al dente.
The pasta and sauce must bind together; do not forget to transfer the pasta directly into the pan of anchovy oil and let it gently infuse for a few minutes.
Do not serve overcooked pasta; eat it while it’s hot, immediately after serving it.
Orecchiette with turnip tops will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days, closed in an airtight container. When you want to eat it, heat it up in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Turnip tops are a vegetable, which can be harvested in autumn and winter. They are made of a tough stalk, large outer leaves, smaller leaves, and florets. To make this orecchiette dish, use only the most tender leaves and florets; you can put the rest in a vegetable minestrone or vegetable frittata.
The toasted breadcrumbs give this dish a pleasant crunch and the bread’s flavour blends well with the other ingredients. If you do not have bread, you can sprinkle your orecchiette with Parmigiano Reggiano or, better still, aged ricotta.
400 g orecchiette
500 g turnip tops
1 clove garlic
40 g anchovies in oil
1 hot chili pepper
80 g durum wheat bread
40 g extra virgin olive oil
To respect the regional origin of this recipe, we suggest you stay in Puglia and pair orecchiette with a soft white wine, like a Chardonnay from Bari, or with a fresh Locorotondo.
If you prefer red wine, you could venture an Apulian First coursestivo di Manduria.
