Bitter broccoli rabe, tender white beans and hearty fusilli make a satisfying pasta meal. Lemon brightens everything up, while golden-brown breadcrumbs add a crunchy finish.
Broccoli rabe, also known as rapini, has slender stems, leaves and small flower buds. Its flavour is distinctly green and more bitter than regular broccoli. That character works especially well alongside soft, creamy white beans. Fusilli holds the sauce in its twists, while the stems and leaves retain their shape. Lemon lifts the flavours, and toasted breadcrumbs add a dry, crunchy contrast to every bite.
A quick blanch takes the edge off the bitterness and gets the stems tender-crisp. Cut thicker stems into small pieces so they cook in about the same time as the leaves. Don’t leave the vegetable in the water for long after blanching: it will get another quick fry with garlic and chilli flakes. This gives the garlic time to flavour the oil without turning dark and bitter. Save a mug of pasta water; its starch helps bind the beans and oil into a light sauce.
Broccoli rabe can be hard to find in some places. Turnip greens or a combination of broccolini and a handful of kale work as alternatives, though they’ll make the dish milder or change its bitterness. Blanch sturdy stems a little longer than tender leaves. Canned or jarred white beans are handy: rinse and drain them well. Cannellini beans are soft and creamy, but large white beans work too. For the breadcrumbs, coarsely grate or crumble stale bread; fine breadcrumbs won’t give you as much crunch.
Toast the breadcrumbs separately until golden and scatter them over the pasta just before serving. That way, they stay crunchy while the bean sauce and pasta water coat the fusilli. Grate lemon zest over the dish and add juice to taste: start with half a lemon and taste, since the amount of acidity depends on the fruit and how bitter the vegetable is. Serve straight away as a main, with a simple green salad if you like. Leftovers can be covered and stored in the fridge, then gently reheated with a splash of water; the breadcrumbs will soften, though.
Crumble the bread coarsely. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the breadcrumbs for 3–4 minutes, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Trim the thick ends from the broccoli rabe and cut sturdy stems into pieces about 3 cm long. Blanch the stems for 1½ minutes, add the leaves and cook for another 30 seconds. Scoop the vegetable out of the water and drain. Keep the water boiling.
Cook the fusilli in the same water according to the packet instructions until al dente. Before draining, scoop 250 ml pasta water out of the pan.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 4 tbsp olive oil in the frying pan. Cook the garlic and chilli flakes over medium-low heat for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the broccoli rabe and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the white beans and roughly mash about a third of them with a spoon.
Add the fusilli and 150 ml pasta water to the pan. Toss for 1–2 minutes, until the beans form a loose sauce that clings to the pasta. Add a little extra pasta water if needed. Season with salt, pepper and lemon zest; add lemon juice if you like.
Divide among warm plates and scatter the toasted breadcrumbs over the top just before serving.
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