Broccoli what?

I used to be one of those lucky girls who walked by six farmers' stands on her way home from class. We are not talking about farmers' stands like those of Boston's Haymarket. Those vegetables come from a wholesaler in Chelsea.

"I'll give you all these tomatoes if you take these half-rotten broccoli heads off my hands,"

I'm talking about real southern Italian I-sell-artichokes-for-a-living farmers' markets. My favorite stand belonged to an older man named Domenico who sneered if you dared to touch his potatoes but was otherwise friendly. So I was shocked to see a cardboard sign reading "Rape $1" written in red paint and leaning against his Ape. (An Ape is this adorable three wheeler, ape means bee in Italian, these cars are used by farmers to deliver their produce to the more urban areas.)Seeing the sign for rape at a price, I asked Domenico what on earth he was saying. I discovered a new favorite. A type of vegetable, actually pronounced broccoli rah-peh. It is a bitter green like swiss chard but with the texter of both spinach and broccoli. It tastes amazing with spicy sausages, pasta and cheese.

I was thrilled when I found that my not-so-friendly local grocer carried it. I was double thrilled when my roommate came home with spicy sausage. A coincidence made for a great dinner.


Rape and Sausage Pasta- Orrechiette con la rape:

1-2 bunches of Broccoli Rape (rapini or rabe)
1 lb or orrechiette pasta or shells
1 lb of spicy italian sausage
4 cloves of garlice minced
1 t red crushed pepper
salt
1 T olive oil


Dealing with the broccoli:

First cut off the hard stems then cut the bunches in half and boil them in salted water for 1-3 miniutes. When they are tender enough scoop them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Keep the water from the boiling and add the pasta to it. Meanwhile heat a skillet and add the oil. On low heat sweat the garlic and add the red crushed pepper. Break the sausage up into pieces and add that to the skillet as well. Cook out the pink and then add the strained broccoli. When the mixture comes together add the pasta. Raise the heat to high and cook all the ingredients together. Cook until there is no excess liquid. Also you could stir in a cup or so of your favorite pasta sauce.

serves 4