"Sort of Pugliese" Pasta with broccoli rabb and ricotta

Now, you may be wondering "what in the name of the gods happened to that woman? Has she gone off to join the circus as she's been threatening for all these years?"
Ah, ragazzi, nothing that dramatic. Just the usual busynesses , if you know what I mean - and a decision at work to block this site from access, so now Annalena has to push blogging into her incredibly busy at home schedule. But, fear not, Annalena will be sitting down and writing y'all a letter from time to time, as she has for so long (some would say, WAY TOO long, but they can get over themselves).
So, what's with the title? Well, we're going to be exploring a bit of variations on classic pasta dishes in the next few blogs, sort of a case of "use what you got on hand" to make something that is "sort of " like a classic, but not really.

There are certain dishes that are emblematic of different regions of Italy, especially in the Pasta area. For example, pasta stuffed with pumpkin is a classic of Mantua. It is made elsewhere, but this is where it's from. So, too, is a dish we will look at in days to come a classic of Sicily: pasta with cauliflower, bread crumbs and currants.

One of the characteristics of cooking from Apulia is the use of broccoli rabb. There are some Pugliese who will tell you that they eat this wonderful vegetable every night. And it is wonderful, but let Annalena clarify some things for you.

Broccoli rabb, is NOT broccoli. No ragazzi, in Italian, it is called "cima," and that is turnip greens.
Betcha you didn't know that, did ya? Nope, the classic "broccoli rabb" is the top of a root v egetable, and those turnips are not fit to eat. But the greens? Strong, forceful and bitter. Sort of like many men. (Well, the bitter part is true). They can be tamed, however, by dropping them into boiling water. Sort of like most men. And in this dish, you do just that, and you create a very economical, easy, nourishing dish.

The classic pasta used with it is orecchiete, the "little ears," also a classic of Apulia. But if you don't have them, use any pasta shape you have as long as it is on the short and stubby side of things. (Again, sort of like most men). In my version, I used penne.

When you buy broccoli rabb, you will notice very thick, tough stems. ABANDON THEM. Make a cut across the bunch of vegetable where the stem begins to get tender. Toss the tough stuff, and then cut the rest of it into bite size pieces. You can be rough with it (like with most men), and push it to the side (you know what's coming).

At its simplest form, what you do next is add your pasta to rapidly boiling, salted water, and let it cook for about five minutes. Then you add the greens, and cook them together. The pasta becomes al dente at the same time the greens cook. You drain them, together, add a lashing of good quality olive oil, some black and/or hot pepper, and perhaps some grated romano cheese, and dinner is served.

If there happens to be some left over sausage in the house, slice it up (if it's cooked), and add it as well, and cut back the olive oil. Cook it first if it ain't. You have a classic.

I did not have any left over sausage when I made my pasta. I did, however, have half a container of a very good quality rich tasting ricotta. Ricotta makes a wonderful sauce for pasta, if you thin it with some of the pasta water. And that is just what I did. I took that ricotta - about two cups of it, and added grated black pepper, and the cup of pasta water, stirring it to just dissolve the cheese. When the pasta was done, I dumped it out, just like in the classic version, and after it was drained, I stirred the cheese in, and put some more black pepper on it. DINNER.

Is it Pugliese? Oh, heavens no. Is it good? You betcha. Is it easy? Yup.

So call it what you want, but don't call it Pugliese, and make it for yourself. You'll have a quick easy dinner without a lot to clean up, it will be a complete meal, and you will be thanking me endlessly.