Broccoli, broccoletti, rapini, friarielli, turnip tops, turnip greens. Are they just different ways to say the same thing? Let's take a look at each one properly. Friarielli (or broccoli rabe) are simply the most developed part of the turnip green plant, in short it just depends on where in Italy you are. In Rome, for example, the newly developed flowers of turnip tops are called broccoletti (not to be confused, for the name, with broccoli, derived from broccoli cabbage) in Naples friarielli, in Apulia turnip tops and in Tuscany rapini. Often when we talk about friarielli however we only eat the leaves, when we talk about broccoli, we eat the largest "flower" between the leaves. So now you understand the truth about the difference between broccoli and friarielli, here are a couple of simple traditional recipes filled with goodness to cook the best way.
Orecchiette with turnip tops
Orecchiette with turnip tops is a typical dish of Apulian cuisine, which we’re sure you already know. Here's how to make it: clean the turnip tops, removing the outer leaves and keeping only the sprout and the more tender inner leaves. To facilitate cooking, make a deep cross - cut on the hardest part of the stem. Dip the turnip tops (2 kg) in plenty of boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes, if using fresh orecchiette (about 6 minutes of cooking, 400 g for 4 people). Add the pasta. Cut the onion into very thin slices. Pour the oil into a saucepan, add the onions, fry until it’s golden brown. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from heat and slowly add three whole anchovy fillets. When the orecchiette are cooked, drain them. Put the orecchiette with the turnip tops back into the cooking pot, still hot. Add the oil. Mix all the ingredients together. Let it rest as slightly warm is even better.
Turnip greens and sausages
The first step is the same: clean the turnip tops by removing the hardest leaves and stems. Fry the oil, garlic, and chili pepper in a frying pan until the garlic is golden brown. Add the turnip tops without drip drying them too much. Cook the turnip tops covered over a low heat, turning them from time to time. Add salt halfway through cooking. When the turnip tops have withered, remove the lid, and continue cooking leaving them a little "al dente" because afterwards they will finish cooking together with the sausages. Brown the sausages separately in a pan with a drizzle of oil. Cover the sausages with a lid and cook them. During cooking, prick them with a fork so that the fat comes out. Now add the sausages to the turnip tops together with the sauce. Mix the ingredients together and if necessary, add salt, and a little lemon. Finish cooking together so that the turnip tops and sausages get a good even flavor and this time serve the dish still hot, maybe adding some pecorino cheese.