Pasta with turnip greens and bacon
Turnip greens, which used to be a poor man's food a few decades ago, are now increasingly used in a variety of dishes. Their typical bitter and spicy flavour goes well with many other foods, making them increasingly popular with star chefs. The turnip greens are also good for our health, being rich in vitamins (A and C above all), fibre, iron, calcium, phosphorus and folic acid.
A typical first course in which this tasty vegetable is the main ingredient is pasta with turnip greens and bacon, which is easy to prepare and satisfies all palates; let's find out how to prepare it step by step.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 350g of orecchiette pasta
- 200g of turnip greens
- 200g of aged bacon
- 1 clove of garlic
- Salt and black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Pecorino cheese (if appreciated)
Recipe for preparing pasta with turnip greens and bacon
Wash and clean the turnip greens and, in the meantime, boil plenty of salted water in a pot large enough to hold the turnip greens and pasta. When the boiling starts, put the turnip greens in the water and boil for five minutes, then add the pasta and continue cooking for the time indicated on the package.
Put three or four tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a fairly large saucepan and brown a clove of garlic together with the bacon cut into strips. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove the garlic and brown the bacon until it is just crispy enough.
Use a skimmer to lift the pasta with the turnip greens and put it back into the saucepan with the browned bacon. Sauté for five minutes over high heat, stirring and mixing everything with a wooden spoon. If necessary, add a few tablespoons of cooking water.
Serve and, if you like, sprinkle a little grated pecorino cheese over the pasta with turnip greens and pancetta.
