Broccoli Rabe Cacio e Pepe
Broccoli Rabe Cacio e Pepe. A fun summer twist on an Italian classic. A little broccoli rabe, a little Burrata, a little red pepper. Creamy, cheesy, spicy goodness topped with fresh basil leaves. Because every classic needs a twist every now and then, you know?!
You can always count me in for a midweek pasta pick me up. Especially since this week is a short week, celebrate with pasta…am I right?! And wine. It’s always more fun to eat pasta when you’re also drinking some good wine. Tonight’s pasta calls for a summery white wine or a rosé because it is super hot out today.
So since it’s super hot I obviously can’t wait to get back to the beach. Although, we are supposed to have a tropical storm here on Friday. But that’s ok because I plan on cooking, baking, etc. to get some good content for the weekend since it will not be a beach day. Stay tuned ;)) !!
But back tonight’s pasta. Cacio e Pepe is always a crowd pleaser in our house. There is something so simple, yet so delicious about it. Sometimes simple is the key to a perfect dish. But sometimes it’s fun to spice up the simple classics. And that is just what we did tonight by giving this Cacio e Pepe a summer twist. There’s the broccoli rabe, the burrata, the red pepper flakes. All the creamy, cheesy goodness of Cacio e Pepe paired with fresh burrata, spicy broccoli rabe, and basil leaves. So fun, so good.
What kind of twists on Cacio e Pepe have you guys tried?! Any good recommendations/suggestion?!
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves; minced
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 bunches broccoli rabe; washed and trimmed
1 pound pasta
2 teaspoons crushed black peppercorns
1 cup pecorino romano
fresh basil for topping
8 ounces fresh burrata
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large, wide pan or stock pot. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. When garlic sizzles, add the broccoli rabe and cover the pot. Cook turning frequently until the liquid has absorbed and the broccoli rabe is tender. About 10 - 15 minutes.
Cook the pasta in salted water. Add the peppercorns to a large skillet. Heat over low heat. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Keep warm over low heat. Add the pecorino romano to a small bowl. Add enough pasta water to make the cheese creamy.
When pasta is cooked, transfer to the skillet with the peppercorns using tongs. Toss to combine. Spoon the cheese mixture in, a little at time. Continue tossing the pasta to coat. Keep adding cheese until a creamy sauce forms. You may need to increase the heat. At this point, incorporate the broccoli rabe.
Serve topped with fresh basil leaves and burrata.
