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Pasta with broccoli rabe and croaker
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 30 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Serving: 4
PRESENTATION
Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Croaker is built on a deliberate tension: the slight bitterness of broccoli rabe against the mild, delicate flesh of croaker, with colatura di alici threading both together at the finish. The fettuccine sits in a smooth cream made from blended broccoli rabe that coats each strand evenly, then the dish is finished with whole florets and small pieces of fish for contrast in both texture and intensity. It is the kind of seafood first course that feels refined without being fussy, drawing on a handful of Mediterranean ingredients that happen to work extremely well together.
Colatura di alici—an intensely savory condiment pressed from fermented anchovies—goes in at the very end, where it amplifies both the greens and the fish without flattening either one. A few drops deepen the whole dish rather than redirect it. That restraint is part of what makes the combination work: the broccoli rabe contributes bitterness, the croaker brings a clean mildness, and the colatura adds a savory undercurrent that ties everything together without taking over. The result is creamy, layered, and more nuanced than the short ingredient list might suggest.
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- INGREDIENTS
- Fettuccine pasta 11.5 oz (320 g)
- Croaker 7 oz (200 g) - (fillet)
- Broccoli rabe 2.2 lbs (1 kg)
- Garlic 1 clove
- Fresh chili pepper to taste
- Colatura di alici (fishsauce) ½ tsp (2 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Preparation
How to prepare Pasta with broccoli rabe and croaker
To prepare pasta with broccoli rabe and croaker, start by cleaning the broccoli rabe, removing the toughest parts and separating the leaves from the florets 1 2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil 3.
Drop the leaves into it 4 and cook them for 10 minutes 5. Drain them without discarding the cooking water: you'll need it both to cook the pasta and, if necessary, to adjust the consistency of the sauce. Transfer the cooked leaves to a blender jug 6.
Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil 7 and blend them 8 until you obtain a smooth cream. In a large skillet, lightly brown the clove of garlic together with the fresh chili pepper cut into rings 9.
Add the reserved broccoli rabe florets 10, a pinch of salt 11 and sauté them well over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then remove the garlic 12.
Then add the cream made from the broccoli rabe 13, add a ladleful of the cooking water 14 and combine everything. Turn off the heat and set aside. Then move on to the croaker. Carefully remove all the pin bones from the fillet 15.
Cut the fillet into evenly sized pieces 16. Heat a non-stick skillet with some of the extra virgin olive oil. Place the pieces of croaker skin-side down first and season them with salt 17. Cook them for about 2 minutes, then turn them gently 18.
Continue cooking for another 2 minutes on the flesh side 19. Once ready, remove them from the pan and set aside. Cook the fettuccine in the same water used for the broccoli rabe, which you will have returned to a boil 20. Drain them about 2 minutes before the cooking time indicated on the package and transfer them directly into the skillet with the sauce 21.
Finish cooking the fettuccine in the skillet, adding a little more water if necessary. When fully cooked, add the anchovy extract (colatura di alici) 22 and toss everything briefly 23. Divide the pasta among plates 34.
Top with the pieces of croaker 25, the remaining broccoli rabe florets in the pan 26 and serve immediately 27.
Storage
Tip
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