The orecchiette with cabbage is a very simple and quick first course. In the Bari tradition, it is prepared by sautéing fresh pork lard with oil, but variants can include smoked bacon or guanciale. Some prefer adding tomatoes. Cabbage is one of those foods that not everyone likes, I think more for the smell it emits while cooking. There are different types of cabbage: white, green, purple, and orange. The white, orange, and purple have a sweeter taste, the green a slightly tangier one. Personally, I prefer the green and purple for dressing pasta, while the white for frying, and I haven’t tried the orange yet, as it is not available in any grocery stores where I live. In this recipe, I prepared the classic Bari orecchiette with local green cabbage and a sauté of oil and guanciale. Here’s the recipe for you!!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower
- 17.6 oz orecchiette
- 3.5 oz guanciale
- oil
- chili pepper
- pecorino
- Frying Pan
Instructions
Cut and wash the cabbage.
In a pot, boil water and then add the cabbage and salt. If you decide to use fresh pasta, the cooking time for the cauliflower will be 10 minutes, plus the cooking time of the pasta, making it about 15 minutes in total. If using dry pasta, cook for 5 minutes, plus the time indicated for the pasta. Anyway, you decide if you want a crunchier or more cooked and creamy cauliflower.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan over low heat, sauté oil, guanciale, and chili pepper until the fat has rendered and it is caramelized, about 5 minutes.
After 10 minutes of cooking the cauliflower, add the orecchiette.
Once cooked, drain the orecchiette with the cauliflower and add them to the pan with the sauce, add the pecorino and stir.
The orecchiette with cabbage is ready!!
Advice
If you prefer, you can add cherry tomatoes or a few tablespoons of tomato sauce and instead of guanciale, you can use smoked bacon.
