Pasta with Spicy Broccoli Rabe & Raisins
Submitted by Drew
Penne tossed with blanched broccoli rabe, toasted raisins, garlic, and red pepper flakes, finished with lemon juice. A classic Southern Italian pasta that’s naturally vegan.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
1 hrsThis is a classic Southern Italian combination: bitter broccoli rabe meets sweet raisins meets spicy red pepper flakes. It’s a flavor trio that’s been showing up on Italian tables for centuries, and for good reason. Each ingredient balances the others.
The broccoli rabe gets a quick 1-minute blanch before going into the skillet. This tames its sharp bitterness just enough while keeping the stems snappy. Skip the blanch and the bitterness can overwhelm everything else.
Here’s the clever move: the raisins get “toasted” in vegetable stock before the garlic goes in. This plumps them up, concentrates their sweetness, and gives them a lightly caramelized edge. Eight cloves of garlic is bold, but it mellows as it cooks and becomes the aromatic backbone of the dish.
Red pepper flakes bring the heat. Half a teaspoon gives a gentle warmth. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end ties the sweet, bitter, and spicy elements together with a bright acidic note.
Toss everything with penne or whole wheat pasta. The tube shape catches the raisins and small bits of broccoli in every forkful.
Chef Tips
- Blanch the broccoli rabe for only 1 minute. Any longer and it goes limp and loses its pleasant bite.
- Toast the raisins before adding garlic. Garlic burns in seconds but raisins need a few minutes to develop.
- Don’t drain the pasta bone-dry. A splash of starchy pasta water helps the sauce cling to the noodles.
- Use the full 8 cloves of garlic. This is meant to be garlicky.
Variations
- Add a handful of toasted pine nuts for crunch and richness.
- Toss in anchovy fillets with the garlic for a more traditional Pugliese version (skip for vegan).
- Use orecchiette instead of penne for a more authentic Southern Italian shape.
Ingredients
broccoli rabe (1 lbs each), ends tripped off and cut, across into 1 inch peices *
Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil.
Add the broccoli and blanch for 1 minute.
Drain and pat dry. Bring another large pot of salted water to boil.
Add pasta and cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of the veggie stock in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add the raisins and cook, tossing frequently, until lightly “toasted".
Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds.
Add the broccoli, the water and the red pepper and cook until tender (about 5 min).
Drain the pasta and add the broccoli, the remaining veggie stock, the lemon juice, and salt and peeper to taste.
Toss combine.
Divide into 4 servings.
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