Pugliese

Pugliese (pronounced pooh-lee-eh-zeh) is the classic combination of spicy pork and broccoli rabe enjoyed in pizzas, pastas, and on their own across Italy, especially in the South.

Here at the Fruitman Kitchen, this is the first Italian pasta we feature, it is our favorite. We’ll do cacio e pepe and amatriciana next.

This is a hot summer lunch hour pasta. It is hot outside, the plate is full of spicy Calabrian chilis, and the air seems completely still. Friend of the channel Stefano describes Italy, this dish, and the lack of air conditioning like this:

In southern Italy, we don’t have air conditioning, and it’s hot. We put up with it, we sit outside on a bench, hunched over a bowl of Pugliese. It’s arid, and there is a little sweat on our lower back, but life adapts and it slows down for us, we slow along with it.

Stefano

Let’s slow along with it.

Total preparation time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
Pineapples: 5/5 🍍 🍍 🍍 🍍 🍍
Read before committing: This is best enjoyed very spicy.

(for two servings)
Ingredients:
150g dry orecchiette pasta
1 bunch broccoli rabe
100g spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
1 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, or pecorino
Salt, pepper, olive oil
Dried chili flakes, Calabrian chili preferred
1 garlic clove

Instructions
Start boiling salted water in a large pot
Rinse broccoli rabe and cut off bottom 1″ of stems
Cut clove of garlic in small pieces, not minuscule though
Prepare one large bowl with ice water
In the pot of boiling water, drop broccoli rabe. Remove after 2 minutes and plunge directly in ice water. Keep the water hot.
Once the broccoli rabe is cold, cut it in smaller pieces, like pictured above.
Heat a large splash of olive oil in a large pan on medium-high heat and add cut garlic
Once garlic starts browning, add sausage and cook for 5 minutes.
Add pasta to water and cook to al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve a 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water.
Add broccoli rabe, salt, pepper, and chili flakes, to pan, toss everything together until warm.
Drain the water from pasta pot. Once empty, place all ingredients in the pot and mix. Add 1/4 cup water and cheese, mix together until a light sauce forms and clings to pasta.
Serve on a plate and garnish with additional cheese and chili flakes.