Broccoli rabe, or cime di rapa, is harvested for its unopened flower clusters, tender young leaves and a small portion of stem.
In Puglia, cime di rapa accompany orecchiette and strascinate.
In Campania, cime di rapa grown in the region are called friarielli and cooked in a pan with garlic, oil and chili. The tender leaves make a side dish for sausage, pork or provola.
The edible top combines unopened flower clusters, young leaves and a small portion of stem. Growers cut these tender tops before the buds open. The main cluster is followed by smaller side clusters, allowing successive cuts from the same plant.
Regione Campania documents friarielli as the name for cime di rapa grown in the region. This regional name accompanies a cooking tradition centered on the tender leaves.
Serve cooked cime di rapa with orecchiette or strascinate. For orecchiette, add olive oil and anchovies, leaving a few clusters whole for texture.
Choose bunches identified as cime di rapa and look for the unopened flower clusters described by the Puglia atlas. A generic bunch name does not identify one particular local population or a protected geographical product.
Keep fresh greens in a clean refrigerator, and refrigerate any pre-cut or packaged greens. Before preparing them, wash them thoroughly under running water, without soap or detergent, then dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.
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