Mangia Con Elena

Rapini/Broccoli Rabe   IG: @mangia.con.elena Pinterest: mangia con elena Depending on the region in Italy this amazing green leafy vegetable is known as rapini, broccoli rabe and cime di rape. This nutrient dense vegetable is a member of the turnip family. They are high in vitamin C and A and have anti-inflammatory properties.  Whatever you call them, they are incredible tasty. They were a staple in our house growing up. My dad grew them in the garden and we would eat them all summer long. My mom would then blanche and freeze whatever was left and in the cooler months they became a part of minestrone and other dishes such as pasta, calzone, polenta and bean dishes. Rapini can be served as a side dish and pair well with most meats but exceptionally well with pork.  They are an important part of the Mediterranean diet. My mother tells me of how they would grow them on her farm and they ate every part of the plant. They have a bitter and peppery taste that is tempered by blanching them in

  Growing Up Italian- Two Doors and a Key My Journey Back to my Roots IG: @mangia.con.elena Pinterest: mangia con elena My father lived in the small room at back of house The house they moved into My Mother's house where she was born and raised My parents took us back to Italy several times as children. My first visit was when I was three years old. I remember bits and pieces of those visits such as my cousin's First Communion and the festivities and the food! So much food. We would stay at my paternal Nonno and Nonna's house in the tiny village of Supino that is located in the Lazio region  about a few hours drive from Rome. It is nestled in the valley surrounded by the Lepinni mountains and hills. My father was born in a tiny space at the back of a house and it is where he lived. Later, after my father immigrated to Canada, my Nonni were able to move into another house right next door and that is where I stayed when we would visit. It had one bedroom, one bathroom and a k