Chocolate Pasta with Broccoli Rabe

Some of you are going to be appalled. But, some of you may applaud. Let’s see what category you find yourself in.

When I started this blog, I wanted to stretch myself, perhaps learn a few new things and exercise my creativity. Chocolate pasta is a stretch and it is creative, but the real test for getting out of the box is how to eat it. I wanted to jump out of that box and push that chocolate envelope.

There is no further push than broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe also commonly called rapini. It is NOT broccoli, and is closer to the turnip. It’s bitter, but when combined with olive oil, garlic, salt, and dried chili pepper, it brings an “umami” type moment that makes you want that next bite and the next. It is an acquired taste, but one worth acquiring. To even further the depth of such flavor, I paired it with a homemade chocolate pasta. And, to make Mr. Spinach Tiger happier, some sausage found its way onto his plate.

Flavoring pasta
Making chocolate pasta is really quite simple. I have a standard pasta recipe that I always use when making pasta, no matter what type of flour I choose. Two eggs and one cup of flour. From there I add in extra flour as I need to.

I did not use a cocoa powder because that is bitter and I didn’t want to add sugar, but you could go that route. Instead I melted a semi-sweet chocolate and added it in after the second egg and then added in more flour as necessary.

Recipe for Chocolate Pasta with Broccoli Rabe (Use pasta recipe below)
Ingredients

• 1 pound broccoli rabe
• 1/3 extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• salt, pepper
• red chili pepper
• 1 pound chocolate pasta (see below)
• Pecorino cheese (for topping, optional)

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Chocolate Pasta with Broccoli Rabe

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour plus 1/4 cup
• 2 eggs
• 3 ounces melted semi-sweet chocolate

Instructions

• Add in egg and mix with a fork. Add second egg.
• Add in cooled chocolate. Mix thoroughly with hands. It should be wet and sticky. Add just enough flour back in to bring it together. This requires a lot of kneading, and is best made with a kitchen aid or food processor.
• Allow to rest for at least 30 minutes wrapped in plastic.

Notes

Proceed as you would with any other homemade pasta. I used the atlas hand crank pasta machine to make these noodles.

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