The book that keeps on giving. 1000 Italian Recipes by Michele Scicolone has lots of, well 1000, recipes. You probably don’t like broccoli rabe. I never did. If served it, I would eat it to be polite, but, jeez, that flavor is so overpoweringly intense!
Here, boiled and combined with eggs and cheese into lovely cakes, the rabe takes on a new perspective. I crave these cakes. The flavor, still distinctive of course but now muted, is an excellent pairing for protein. These cakes nestled against a blacked piece of steak is a combination that will pleasantly dominate any dinner table.
You can, of course, amend this recipe to your heart’s delight. Want some sweetness? Add in some shredded carrot. Want color and crunch? Throw in some diced bell peppers, either raw or already roasted [look at yesterday’s post!]. Cumin or chili powder or curry would be welcome. This is a recipe you can play with endlessly and one you will enjoy endlessly.
Look for Michele’s 1000 Italian Recipes in a new edition in a new, bright red cover. You’ll use this book many times. Maybe 1000.
Little Vegetable Cakes
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 pounds broccoli rabe, stems trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons grated caciovacallo or Pecorino Romano
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add broccoli rabe and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Let cool, then press excess water out. Chop broccoli rabe.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cheese and salt and pepper. Stir in the greens.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scoop up a heaping tablespoon of mixture and put in the skillet, pressing it with the back of a spoon to flatten into a silver dollar pancake. Repeat with remaining mixture. Cook until golden on the first side, about 2 minutes, then flip and continue to cook until cooked through. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Source: 100 Italian Recipes by Michele Scicolone [Wiley, 2004]
Photo Information: Canon T2i, EFS 60mm Macro Lens, F/3.5 for1/40th second at ISO‑320