Bread and Cheese ‘Vegballs’ with Broccoli Rabe and Pecorino Romano

Pallotte Cacio e Ova con Cime di Rapa e Pecorino

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Preparation info
  • Serves:

    4

    • Difficulty

      Easy

    • Ready in

      50 min

Appears in
Better Than Nonna: Modernised Italian Recipes

By Danilo Cortellini

Published 2024

  • About

A traditional recipe from my beloved home, Abruzzo, this is a perfect example of ‘cucina povera’, or the cuisine of the poor. Originally made with stale bread and leftover cheese, it transforms humble leftovers into something special. Here I’ve swapped the dish’s classic tomato sauce for a rich, wintery cheese fondue.

Ingredients

  • 500 g broccoli rabe/cime di rapa (long stem broccoli with leaves) or other bitter green leaves
  • 1 clove of garlic

Method

Trim and discard the dry ends of the stalks from the cime di rapa, leaving behind the tasty core, florets and leaves. Blanch them in salted boiling water until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes, keeping in mind that the leaves might cook quicker than the stalks. Cool them in ice water to retain their colour, then drain.

Heat up a saucepan and gently fry a garlic clove, sliced in half, with a