Description
A rustic Italian pasta dish with orecchiette, bitter greens, creamy garbanzo beans, and salty ricotta salata.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340g) orecchiette pasta
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 large bunch broccoli rabe or kale (about 1 lb / 450g), tough stems removed, chopped
- 1 (15 oz / 425g) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 4 oz (115g) ricotta salata, crumbled
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orecchiette according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the chopped greens to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until wilted and tender. If using kale, you may need to cook a minute or two longer.
- Add the garbanzo beans and broth to the skillet. Stir to combine and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the greens and beans. Toss everything together. If the mixture seems dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in half of the crumbled ricotta salata. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the remaining ricotta salata and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute the broccoli rabe with Swiss chard or escarole.
- For a richer flavor, you can use beef bacon instead of the olive oil to start the sauce.
- If ricotta salata is unavailable, you can use a firm feta cheese or grated pecorino romano.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 72g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 20mg