Healthy Rapini Recipe

Rapini- also known by Americans as broccoli rabe (no relation to broccoli), is a well-known side dish amongst the southern region of Italy (Puglia, Basilicata, and Sicily). Rapini originates in the Mediterranean and China and is descended from a wild herb. It’s grown in the west coast of the United States, New Jersey, Quebec and Ontario. Aside from cooking it with pasta, rapini is one of the healthier foods made by Italians. It’s classified as a “super food” because it is packed with nutrients including, Vitamins A, C, and K, as well as Potassium, Calcium, and Iron. 
 

Rapini can be made as a simple side dish or with pasta. When serving it with pasta it is most famously paired with cavatelli (small, narrow pasta shells), orecchiette (small, disc shaped pasta), or tagliatelle (flat ribbons, similar in shape to fettuccine).

1 Bunch of Rapini

6 cups of Water

2 table spoons Salt

2 table spoons Olive Oil

When preparing the rapini, cut the ends off of the bunch. Then chop the bunch into four sections. Next, in a large pot bring six cups of water to a boil. Add salt to the water and place rapini into boiling water. Stir on occasion. Once stems are soft, strain and drizzle with olive oil.

When making rapini with pasta, simply boil the pasta in water. Once pasta is “al dente”, strain and add rapini with olive oil.

Serve and enjoy!

Pasta alla Vodka

Pasta alla Vodka is one of my favorite dishes my mom makes! Vodka really isn’t an Italian ingredient so it’s interesting to find out how the sauce was invented. According to foodtimeline.org, vodka sauce became popular in the 70s and 80s. Some believe the sauce originated in the homeland of Italy while others believe it originated in the states. Many stories have indicated that the dish was originally called Penne alla Russia because of the un-Italian ingredient of vodka. Although there are several stories out there as to who was the original creator of the sauce, many towns have created their own version to pass down for many generations.

Like many Italian children, I think my mom’s cooking is the best! Here is her delicious and simple recipe for Pasta alla Vodka.

½ of an onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can crushed tomatoes

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

½ cup vodka or to taste

1 cup heavy whipping cream

½ lb. bow tie pasta (can sub for Rigatoni or Penne)

½ cup grated parmesan.

Chop onion and poor into a saucepan with olive oil. Sautee onions on medium heat until golden brown. Add and stir crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Add vodka to the sauce and occasionally stir for a half hour on medium to low heat.

In a separate pot bring four cups of water to a boil. Add pasta and stir occasionally until it is fully cooked but not overly soft…“al dente.” Drain pasta.

Add heavy whipping cream to the sauce while stirring, bringing it to a boil. Add sauce to pasta along with parmesan cheese.

Serve and enjoy!

Food Timeline: Food History & Vintage Recipes. Web. 20 Jan. 2012. <http://foodtimeline.org>.