The plant is a member of the tribe Brassiceae of the Brassicaceae. Rapini is classified scientifically as Brassica rapasubspeciesrapa, in the same subspecies as the turnip, but has also been treated as Brassica rapa ruvo, Brassica rapa rapifera, Brassica ruvo, and Brassica campestris ruvo.
Description
The young leaves of these plants as used in cooking are either the same as or the South European equivalent of turnip tops or turnip greens. Rapini has many spiked leaves that surround clusters of green buds that resemble small heads of broccoli. Small, edible yellow flowers may be blooming among the buds. Rapini is a source of vitaminsA, C, and K, as well as potassium, calcium, and iron.
Culinary use
The flavor of rapini has been described as nutty, bitter, and pungent, as well as almond-flavored. Rapini needs little more than a trim at the base. The entire stalk is edible, although it may become more fibrous depending on the season. Rapini is widely used in southern Italian cuisine, in particular that of Sicily, Calabria, Campania, Apulia, and Rome. In Italian, rapini is called cime di rapa or broccoletti di rapa; in Naples, the green is often called friarielli. Within Portuguese, grelos de nabo are similar in taste and texture to broccoli rabe. Rapini is also popular in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain; a rapini festival is held in the Galician town of As Pontes every February. Rapini may be sautéed or braised with olive oil and garlic, and sometimes chili pepper and anchovy. It may be used as an ingredient in soup; served with orecchiette or other pasta; or served with pan-fried sausage. Rapini is sometimes blanched before being cooked further. In the United States, rapini is popular in Italian-American kitchens; the D'Arrigo Brothers popularized the ingredient in the United States and gave it the name broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe is a component of some hoagies and submarine sandwiches; in Philadelphia, a popular sandwich is roast pork with broccoli rabe and peppers. It can be a component of pasta dishes, especially when accompanied by Italian sausage.
