Name: Orecchiette con Cime di Rape (Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe)
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 60 grams (½ cup) coarse breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread); 200 grams (about 10 stalks, or 7 ounces) broccoli rabe, thick stems trimmed; 150 grams (5 ounces) dried or fresh orecchiette; ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes; Coarse salt; 40 milliliters (2½ tablespoons) olive oil, plus extra for the breadcrumbs; 150 grams (⅓ pound) pork sausage, casings removed (optional); 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed with the heel of the hand; 2 anchovy fillets, preferably salt-packed, deboned, rinsed, and chopped; 30 grams (6 tablespoons) grated Pecorino Romano

Orecchiette, which means “little ears” (a reference to their round, concave shape), are a regional symbol of Puglia. Traditionally, orecchiette are homemade. The combination of native, hard-wheat flour and water (instead of egg) yields a firm, textured pasta.

Wood is the ideal work surface for shaping orecchiette; a smooth surface will not create the rough texture that is characteristic of the pasta. (See “Making Orecchiett