Rapini and Besciamella Orecchiette (Broccoli and White Sauce Pasta)

This rapini besciamella orecchiette pasta recipe is pure comfort food, and so easy to make. Perfect for when the colder weather arrives.

UPDATED February 6th, 2017: Please read this information first, as I no longer endorse or encourage my readers to purchase this Lagostina cookware. I have recently discovered that it is not made in Italy, but China. I feel that I was misled into believing that this product is made in Italy (if you look at Lagostina’s US website, it’s very misleading and nowhere does it say that any of the products are made in China).

Not even the PR company representative who I worked with realized that most of Lagostina’s products are made in China. Please note that I have made revisions in italicized bold type in this post since discovering this information. I am very sorry that I misled my readers, but I honestly was given the impression that all Lagostina cookware was made in Italy.

In English: this giveaway is for the most gorgeous Lagostina Hammered Copper Pasta Pot. The recipe is a mouth-watering, vegetarian, rapini baked pasta dish with white sauce. Interested? I hope so!

Disclosure: I received a Lagostina pastiaola and an 8″ skillet to review, at no charge, and agreed to create an original pasta recipe. As always, all opinions are my own.

I know the title is a mouthful, especially if you can’t read Italian, but stay with me. I bet I’ll have you salivating in about three minutes, while you’re hitting those letters on your keyboard to enter to win this stunning Italian-made, quality cookware. (As you can see, I wrote Italian-made and Lagostina did not inform me of my error. This pot is MADE IN CHINA.)

If you have been following since last December, you’ll remember that I had a giveaway for another stunning Lagostina piece: the Lagostina risotto pot. Click on the photo for the risotto recipe. (This risotto pot IS actually made in Italy.)

Today is my 50th birthday (I can’t believe I’m telling you this), so it seems fitting that I’m starting this giveaway today. I really appreciate appreciate each and every one of my readers, so it’s almost like my birthday gift to you! 

I refuse to cook anything in less than top quality cookware now. After hearing of all the different substances like lead and chemicals that have been found in many imported products (like China, where this pot is made), I only want to use quality products from companies I trust (and Lagostina has completely broken my trust; I cannot promote them anymore). This applies for everything in my kitchen that is in someway connected to food; I’d rather be safe than sorry. I had posted the paragraph below when I first shared this recipe. Is it just me, or doesn’t this lead one to believe that Lagostina products are made in Italy?

LAGOSTINA:  Creative spirits and people with strength of character have made the Lagostina story an extraordinary saga. Since 1901, Lagostina’s core values of impeccable Italian craftsmanship, high-quality materials, technological innovation, and elegant design have endured. A passion for the art of cooking mixed with an undisputable industrial fiber are the base on which the company established its savoir-faire and built its success. Today, as Italy’s preferred premium cookware brand, Lagostina continues to stand behind these core values with a lifetime guarantee. Each piece of Lagostina cookware represents quintessential Italian culture…celebration of food, life, family and friends – of memorable gatherings around the table; of spirited conversation.

Not only does the Lagostina brand represent quality, but the Italian styling and beauty are also characteristics I value. I spend a lot of time in my kitchen and using these beautiful pots and pans is a joy. They actually inspire me to cook as I want to use them much more than my boring old pots. As you’ll see, the Lagostina pastaiola comes with a built in colander, so there’s no throwing away the pasta water before the pasta dish is ready. This is a big mistake that many people make when preparing pasta. Some of the cooking water should be kept to add back into the pasta so that it stays al dente, but doesn’t become too dry. (I still think this is a gorgeous pot, but after reading some Amazon reviews, it appears that the quality is just not what it should be. Many consumers report the copper changing color and coming off of the pot after very little use. You can go check it out yourself. Others are upset after discovering what they thought were Italian made pots, to be made in China.)

Now onto my recipe. You may not have ever heard of rapini, or broccoli rabe (pronounced RAH-beh) which is an Italian type of broccoli. It is truly one of my favorite greens which is why I included it in this recipe. You can read more about it in this other post I wrote. You could substitute broccolini, or even normal broccoli, if you cannot find rapini. However, the outcome of the final dish will be quite different and won’t have the same nutritious benefits which come with rapini.

Let’s get to the rapini besciamella orecchiette recipe so you can see the Lagostina pasta pot and 8″ skillet in action!

Rapini Besciamella Orecchiette

(Orrecchiete with Broccoli Rabe in a White Sauce- an original recipe by Christina Conte)

Ingredients

• one bunch or a bag of rapini (I like Andy Boy) remove the thick stems, wash and chop
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lb box of orecchiette (I like De Cecco best)
• Kosher or sea salt

Besciamella (white sauce)

• 2 oz (1/4 c) butter
• 3 oz (a little less than 1/2 c) flour
• 28 oz (3 1/2 c) whole milk
• salt and white pepper
• freshly ground nutmeg
• Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Pour the olive oil into the small pan, add the garlic and sauté for about two minutes, then add the rapini with a splash of water and cover. Cook until the thickest past of the rapini is cooked, but still quite firm, about 5 minutes (remember, it should be a little more undercooked as it still has to go into the oven). Set aside.

Put water into the pot (at least 3/4 full) and bring the water to a boil, but while it’s heating, begin to make the white sauce.

In a medium pot over medium heat,  melt the butter and add the flour, constantly stirring. Keep stirring and do not allow to brown, but cook for about 4 to 5 minutes (or else the flour will taste raw in the sauce). Add the milk a little at a time, incorporating it into the flour mixture each time until a sauce begins to form. For more detailed instructions click HERE. Add the grated cheese.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)

When the water in the pot comes to a boil, add salt (about 2 tsp) and then add the pasta.

Stir the pasta often so that it doesn’t stick together. Cook until very al dente (9 minutes for this De Cecco pasta). Drain pasta. DO NOT throw away the water from the pasta yet.

Put the pasta in a large bowl, add most of the besciamella sauce, 6 oz of the pasta water and the rapini and stir to combine.

Put in oven-proof dish, top with the remaining besciamella sauce and place in the preheated oven (a little above the center of the oven). Bake the rapini besciamella orecchiette for 20-30 minutes or until the top begins to brown.

Serve hot.

Has this put you in the mood for some rapini besciamella orecchiette?

Another rapini pasta recipe!

Lagostina refused to replace the pastaiola pot and pans which were made in China with their Italian made pieces. However, my contact at the PR company apologized and sent me the Italian made pasta pot, and another past winner, an Italian made risotto pot (in exchange for her Chinese made skillet). Lagostina reps also did not apologize for the way the website leads consumers to think that their products are made in Italy.  I think this is a very bad business practice, especially since the cost of the items which are made in China are at the same price point as the Italian made ones. Not cool, Lagostina, it’s a good way to lose a lot of customers.

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Rapini and Besciamella Orecchiette

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

A creamy, yet nutritious pasta dish that's perfect for a comforting weeknight meal.

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Ingredients

• one bunch or a bag of rapini (I like Andy Boy) remove the thick stems, wash and chop
• 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lb box of orecchiette (I like De Cecco best)
• Kosher or sea salt

Besciamella sauce (white sauce)

• 2 oz (1/4 c) butter
• 3 oz (a little less than 1/2 c) flour
• 28 oz (3 1/2 c) whole milk
• salt and white pepper
• freshly ground nutmeg
• Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Pour the olive oil into the small pan, add the garlic and sautée for about two minutes, then add the rapini with a splash of water and cover. Cook until the thickest past of the rapini is cooked, but still quite firm, about 5 minutes (remember, it should be a little more undercooked as it still has to go into the oven). Set aside.
2. Put water into the pastaiola (at least 3/4 full) and bring the water to a boil, but while it's heating, begin to make the white sauce.
3. In a medium pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the flour, constantly stirring. Keep stirring and do not allow to brown, but cook for about 4 to 5 minutes (or else the flour will taste raw in the sauce). Add the milk a little at a time, incorporating it into the flour mixture each time until a sauce begins to form. For more detailed instructions click HERE. Add the grated cheese.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)

1. When the water in the pastaiola comes to a boil, add salt (about 2 tsp) and then add the pasta.
2. Stir the pasta often so that it doesn't stick together. Cook until very al dente (9 minutes for this De Cecco pasta). Drain pasta. DO NOT throw away the water from the pasta yet.
3. Put the pasta in a large bowl, add most of the besciamella sauce, 6 oz of the pasta water and the rapini and stir to combine.
4. Put in oven-proof dish, top with the remaining besciamella sauce and place in the preheated oven (a little above the center of the oven). Bake 20-30 minutes or until the top begins to brown.
5. Serve hot.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 750Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 974mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 0gSugar: 69gProtein: 47g

Nutrition information is only estimated.

Did you make this recipe?

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Disclosure: I received a Lagostina Martellata Copper Pastaiola and 8″ skillet to review, at no charge (and a pastaiola to give to my readers), and agreed to create a pasta recipe. As always, all opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.