Small ditalini and well-cooked broccoli di rape are all you need to make a delicious, warm, nourishing, and comforting dish—moist and almost soupy in consistency. Of course, you need the basic seasoning of the Basilicata cook, too: olive oil, garlic, lots of peperoncino, and pecorino. If you feel the need to add more to this simple dish, slivers of chicken breast can cook right in the pot with the ditalini and will give a meaty substance. Another natural addition would be cubes of provola just before serving (see Wedding Soup, page 299, for tips on adding provola to a soupy dish).

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1 1/4 pounds broccoli di rape (a large bunch)

　　1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta pot

　　1 pound ditalini

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　6 plump garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

　　1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste

　　1 cup freshly grated pecorino (or half pecorino and half Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano), plus more for passing

　　

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

A large pot, 8-quart capacity, for cooking the pasta; a heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch diameter or larger

　　

Step 1

To prepare the broccoli di rape: Separate the big stems of the bunch, breaking apart any that are attached, and trim them one at a time. First, slice off the bottom of the stem with a paring knife—just the dried part, where the stem was first cut, usually no more than an inch or so. With the blade of the knife, lift the outer skin of the stem, starting at your fresh bottom cut, and peel it toward the top in one long strip. Pull off the large, tough leaves attached to the lower stem, too. Peel away more strips of skin (and lower leaves) until only the pale inner stem remains, with all the tender leaves and broccoli di rape florets at the top. Trim and peel the other stems this way, then chop them all crosswise in short lengths, 2/3 inch or so.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, fill the large pot with salted water (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt), and heat it to the boil. When the broccoli di rape is trimmed and chopped, begin cooking the pasta and sauce at the same time.

　　

Step 3

With the pasta water at a rolling boil, stir in the ditalini, return to the boil, and let it cook, stirring occasionally.

　　

Step 4

Pour 6 tablespoons of the olive oil into the big skillet, set it over medium heat, scatter in the garlic slices, and cook for a couple of minutes, until sizzling and starting to color. Sprinkle the peperoncino onto the pan bottom, let it toast for a few seconds, then spill in all the broccoli di rape. Raise the heat, sprinkle the salt over it, spread, and stir the broccoli di rape in the pan and get it cooking. Ladle in about 3 cups of boiling pasta water, stir with the vegetables, and adjust the heat so the water is at a bubbling simmer. Cover the skillet, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the broccoli di rape is tender.

　　

Step 5

Uncover the pan, and immediately scoop the ditalini from the pasta pot with a spider or large strainer—they should be slightly undercooked—and spill them into the simmering sauce. Stir the pasta and broccoli di rape together, drizzle on the remaining olive oil, stir again, and bring the sauce to a vigorous simmer. Cook for a few minutes, until the ditalini are perfectly al dente and the sauce has thickened—it should have a soupy, but not watery, consistency. (If the ditalini need more cooking, keep the skillet covered; if they are almost al dente when they go into the skillet, cook uncovered to reduce the sauce quickly.)

　　

Step 6

When pasta and sauce are done, turn off the heat, sprinkle the cup of grated cheese on top, and stir it in. Serve immediately in warm bowls, with more cheese at the table.

　　Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2009 Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Lidia Mattichio Bastianich is the author of four previous books, three of them accompanied by nationally syndicated public television series. She is the owner of the New York City restaurant Felidia (among others), and she lectures on and demonstrates Italian cooking throughout the country. She lives on Long Island, New York.Tanya Bastianich Manuali, Lidia’s daughter, received her Ph.D. in Renaissance history from Oxford University. Since 1996 she has led food/wine/art tours. She lives with her husband and children on Long Island.