Gomiti with Broccoli Rabe, Chickpeas, and Prosciutto

Ask your butcher or deli manager to give you the end of the prosciutto for this dish. It is much easier to cut into strips and tends to be meatier. Gomiti is similar in shape to elbow macaroni. Grana Padano is a hard cheese that is usually found with Parmesan cheese near the deli section in the grocery store.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 2/3 cups)

Ingredients

• 6  quarts water
• 2  teaspoons  salt
• 1  pound  uncooked gomiti (short, curled, tube-shaped pasta)
• 3  tablespoons  olive oil
• 1/2  cup  sliced garlic (about 10 to 12 garlic cloves)
• 1  (3-ounce) prosciutto end piece, cut into (1/4-inch-wide) julienne strips
• 1/2  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 1  (16-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 10  cup  coarsely chopped broccoli rabe (about 1 [1-pound] bunch)
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) grated Grana Padano cheese

Preparation

Bring 6 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a large stockpot. Stir in pasta; partially cover, and return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook 8 minutes or until pasta is almost al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2 cups cooking water.

While pasta cooks, heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic and prosciutto; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add pepper; cook 2 1/2 minutes or until prosciutto is crisp, stirring frequently. Add reserved 2 cups cooking water and chickpeas; bring to a boil. Add broccoli rabe (do not stir); cover, reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes or until broccoli rabe is tender. Uncover; simmer 15 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add pasta, and cook 1 minute or until pasta is al dente, tossing to combine. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

374 (23% from fat)

Fat:

9.6g (sat 2.3g,mono 4.2g,poly 0.7g)

Protein:

17.4g

Carbohydrate:

56.4g

Fiber:

5.9g

Cholesterol:

14mg

Iron:

3.2mg

Sodium:

767mg

Calcium:

126mg

Lidia Bastianich, La Cucina di Lidia (Lidia's Italian Kitchen), Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, Lidia's Family Table, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2004