Name: Bread and Cheese ‘Vegballs’ with Broccoli Rabe and Pecorino Romano (Pallotte Cacio e Ova con Cime di Rapa e Pecorino)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Serves: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 red chilli (optional); 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 50 ml milk (optional); 500 g broccoli rabe/cime di rapa (long stem broccoli with leaves) or other bitter green leaves; Salt and black pepper, to taste; 1 clove of garlic; 250 ml double cream; 150 g rustic bread, crusts removed; 500 ml vegetable oil; 250 g Pecorino Romano, grated; 2 medium eggs

Preparation info

Serves:
4

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
50 min

Appears in

Better Than Nonna

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 Originally made with stale bread and leftover cheese, it transforms humble leftovers into something special.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