Super Greens Pasta Recipe

     This dish is my take on a very typical Italian pasta dish, orecchiette cime di rapa (ear shape pasta with turnip greens), native to the Puglia region. 

     I love this simple dish so much as it is simple, easy to prepare and packed with natural goodness. I tried to plant this super leafy vegetable in my garden but the birds got the best of the seeds leaving me with a trivial crop, hence, my adjustment to the original recipe. I added other super food veggies to the turnip greens such as kale, which I have an abundance of in my garden, and sprouting broccoli, which mimic the turnip greens florets. The original recipe calls for anchovies which adds a delicate flavour, but I opted to omit this ingredient as I was on one of my vegan weeks. 

     This menagerie of vegetables has unbeatable health benefits. It is rich in Vitamins A, C, K and B. In addition, it forms part of the top 15 super food leafy veggies, is high in antioxidants, anti- inflammatory characteristics, and cancer preventing components, and detoxifies the body helping it maintain a healthy heart. 

Ingredients:

Servings: 5 

• 500 grams pasta 
• 250 grams spouting broccoli 
• 250 grams kale, stem removed 
• 250 grams turnip greens 
• 5 cloves garlic, minced 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 red chili pepper 
• Salt
  
   

Method:

Turnip Green

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. 

• Chop the kale and the turnip greens and blanch in the salted water for 2 minutes. Scoop the greens with a spider spoon and drop them immediately into a bowl of icy water. Cut the sprouting broccoli into smaller florets. Follow the same steps as for the greens. 

• Squeeze the green leaves and drain the broccoli once they have cooled down. 

• Fry the garlic and chili in olive oil until the garlic turns golden. 

• Add all the vegetables, adjust the salt and toss for a few minutes. 

• Cook the pasta according to manufacturer’s instructions, drain and toss with the greens. Served with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. 

Tips:

• You could use any leafy greens for this quick recipe. 
• Steaming the vegetables will reduce the loss of vitamins. 
• Blanching helps maintain a green color. 
• Dropping blanched vegetables in icy water stops the cooking process. 
• Use any type of pasta you have available. 
• If you would like to add anchovy you can chop 5 fillets into small pieces and fry with the garlic mashing them with the back of the wooden spoon. 

Per Serving: 505 Calories; 10g Fat (18.2% calories from fat); 17g Protein; 87g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 63mg Sodium.