If you Wanna be a Wannabe Writer, You Gotta Know How to Make Bombette

Or Orecchiette e Cime di Rapa. Alternatively: photo essay on my last weeks as a blogger and reader

All images by author

Absolutely, recipes are on the menu. Actually, the original title for this piece could have been as straightforward as:

“Two Weeks: A Photo Essay on Writing at The Library and Reading at Home.”

However, within a photograph, you might catch sight of something truly exceptional, something wonderfully Pugliese: bombette. So… here they are! Oh, and there’s another Pugliese recipe, just in case you happen to be vegetarian.

BOMBETTE… PUGLIESI!

They are strongly recommended, scientifically, medically, and cosmologically, to be eaten to inrease your chances of success as a writer. I haven’t seen such success yet, but I put trust in the meaty benevolence of pork and cheese.

Ingredients:

• 4 large pork loin slices, thinly pounded
• 8 thin slices of pancetta or prosciutto
• 8 thin slices of provolone cheese
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Toothpicks or kitchen twine for securing

Note: the recipe shared is not derived from the book in photo. Book in photo: Italian Street Food

Instructions:

Prepare the Pork Loin Slices:

• Lay out the thinly pounded pork loin slices on a clean surface.
• Season both sides of each slice with salt and black pepper.

Fill and Roll:

• Place a slice of pancetta or prosciutto on top of each pork loin slice.
• Add a slice of provolone cheese on top of the pancetta or prosciutto.
• Place a fresh basil leaf on top of the cheese.
• Roll up each pork loin slice tightly, starting from one end to the other.
• Secure the rolls with toothpicks or tie them with kitchen twine to prevent them from unravelling during cooking.

Grill or Roast:

• Preheat your grill or oven to medium-high heat.

If you are a vegetarian/vegan option to boost your creativity…

ORECCHIETTE E CIME DI RAPA!

Ingredients:

• 400g orecchiette pasta
• 1 bunch of cime di rapa (broccoli rabe), washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust according to your spice preference)
• Salt, to taste

Instructions:

Prepare the Cime di Rapa:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Add the chopped cime di rapa to the boiling water and cook for about 3–4 minutes, or until tender.
• Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the cooked cime di rapa from the water and set aside. Reserve the cooking water for boiling the pasta.

Cook the Pasta:

• In the same pot of boiling water used for the cime di rapa, add the orecchiette pasta.
• Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.

Prepare the Sauce:

• In a large skillet or pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet and sauté for 1–2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden.

Combine Pasta and Sauce:

• Add the cooked orecchiette pasta to the skillet with the garlic and red pepper flakes.
• Toss the pasta to coat it evenly with the garlic-infused oil.
• Add the cooked cime di rapa to the skillet and toss everything together until well combined.
• If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

Season and Serve:

• Taste the pasta and season with salt as needed, keeping in mind that the pasta water and Parmesan (if using) will also add some saltiness.
• Serve the Orecchiette e Cime di Rapa hot.