IMBB#22: Orecchiette with Baby Turnips and their Greens

When I listed my 10 favorite foods last week, I began with broccoli rabe, known as cima de rape and rapini in Italian. Judging by flavor alone, broccoli rabe seems to be more closely related to turnips than broccoli {I'll leave it to you botanists out there to set me straight}. The greens of both plants taste pleasantly bitter, toasty, and nutty and can be used interchangeably. As far as I'm concerned, the little white bulbs on the end of the turnip greens is a nice little bonus!

A few days ago, I was surprised to find perfect thumb-sized Tokyo turnips {pictured above} grown by one of northern California's premier organic farms, T & D Willey Farms at a store I rarely visit, our local Whole Foods. Whenever I see these baby turnips, I cannot resist buying them to make my frequent weekday dinner of orecchiette. Therefore, Orecchiette with Baby Turnips and their Greens is my entry in this 22nd edition of Is My Blog Burning, hosted by Amy of Cooking With Amy, who chose the theme Use Your Noodle.

This healthy pasta dish can be tossed together in the time it takes to bring a pot of water to a boil. If you can find it, use the hand-formed orecchiette pasta made by Rustichella d'Abruzzo. I like the rustic irregularity of their orecchiette {which means "little ears"}, because the garlicky olive oil clings to all the pasta's grooves and crevasses. They're the pasta equivalent to the nooks and crannies of English muffins. Otherwise, De Cecco's excellent orecchiette and penne would make worthy substitutes.

When making Italian pasta dishes, I find it helpful to remember that, from the Italian perspective, the point of the dish is the pasta, not the sauce. The other elements in the dish are there to complement the pasta. Therefore, you must adequately season your pasta water. Use 1 tablespoon salt {preferably inexpensive bulk sea salt} per every 2 quarts of water.

Since there are so few ingredients in this dish, the quality and choice of each is of equal importance. To match the assertive flavor of the turnip greens, use a good quality aged sheep's milk cheese to grate over the pasta. I prefer the slightly creamier and milder pecorino sardo to pecorino romano, so if you use the latter combine it with some parmigiano reggiano.

Use this recipe as a starting point for your own variations. Possible additions include anchovies, breadcrumbs fried in olive oil, toasted pine nuts, and a squeeze of lemon or a dash of vinegar. For a heartier meal, I sometimes add Italian sausage. It's up to you.

While the pasta is boiling, relax with a glass of Barbera or Dolcetto d'Alba, which both nicely complement the flavor of the bitter greens.

Orecchiette with Baby Turnips and their Greens

(serves 2)

sea salt
2 small bunches baby turnips (about 15 turnips total) or 1 bunch broccoli rabe
4-6 oz. orecchiette or penne pasta
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch hot pepper flakes (or more to taste)
¼ c grated pecorino cheese (see above for recommendations)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon sea salt per every 2 quarts of water.

If using turnips, use a knife to separate the turnip from its green, leaving about ¼-inch of green still attached to the turnip. Cut the thin root off the turnips, then scrub them to remove dirt. Cut each into halves or quarters. Cut the stems into 1-inch pieces and leave the leaves whole.

When the water is boiling, first cook the turnips until tender, then remove and set aside. Next, cook the stems and finally the leaves, removing both after they are done. Add the pasta and cook according to directions on the box {Rustichella orecchiette takes about 10 minutes}.

While the pasta is cooking, have a glass of wine. Then heat the oil over a medium-low flame in sauté pan. Add the garlic and hot pepper and cook until pale golden. Add the turnips and their greens and heat through and season with salt. Add the cooked pasta and toss with another splash of raw olive oil and a little pasta cooking water. Serve with grated cheese on top.

Food|and Drink|Recipes|Noodles|Is My Blog Burning #22

Comments

[mona]

That looks so good! And I completely agree with you..the highlight is the pasta. I'm all about the kosher salt-I dump a ton of that in the boilin water (and even garlic salt) before I cook anything. I like the hot pepper flakes-that is a nice touch.

[Fatemeh]

This look postiively delicious, even if it IS made with orecchiette.

'Cos here's the thing. I HATE Orecchiette. Really. Something about the texture and the shape really don't sit well with me. Isn't that weird? It's one of those food "issues", I suppose.

[vanessa]

that's funny, Fatemeh, orecchiete is my favorite pasta shape. It's neck and neck with bucatini (what can I say? I have kid-like pasta tastes). the turnips look beautiful. Makes me think we're not too far off a kim chee pasta dish.i went to a restaurant where they had a kimchi pizza with chicken and cheese. um, no. but pasta? there's an idea :)

[Gini]

Hi Brett Another good looking production from your kitchen. Great looking baby turnips..I have never seen them..Nice pics.

[Brett]

Mona, yes, salting your water very well is key, whether you're cooking pasta or vegetables.

Fatemeh, how funny! I wonder what it is about the shape that freaks you out? The texture can be a little different, especially with the hand made version. The outer parts get quite soft, and the center remains al dente.

Vanessa, kim chee pasta? Maybe. Especially if you throw some duck in there to balance out the tang and salt of the pickled vegetables. And a little broth.

Gini, thank you for the compliments. I had never seen baby turnips until I moved to the Bay Area. I hate to say this, but probably the best way to get your hands on them is to grow them yourself! Otherwise, you can make a very similar tasting pasta dish with broccoli rabe, which is far more available.

[Lindy]

Orrechiete is a favorite pasta shape of mine, too, and you know I love turnips. I love orrechiete especially in a baked pasta and cauliflower dish copied from Al Forno, in Providence, which I personally call "cauliflower ears."

Those baby turnips are gorgeous.

[boo_licious]

I never thought of turnips with pasta - great idea. Thanks! It looks fantastic.

[vanessa]

yeah, kimchee pasta, maybe not.

[Joy]

Screw the restaurants -- I'm coming to your house for dinner:).

[Azriel Lider]

It looks very tasty. The only thing I used turnips until now was for pickling.