Mangia Con Elena

Cime di Rape (Rapini) filled Calzone   IG: @mangia.con.elena Pinterest: mangiaconelena Growing up in our Italian household we ate a great deal of pizza. My mother would whip up pizza dough quickly and in no time there would be pizza on the table. Her toppings were not very fancy, a simple tomato and basil, potato and rosemary or salami and onions. Sometimes anchovies or roasted peppers. They were delicious. Her dough was thick and moist and the crust perfect.  She was known for her pizza. When my siblings and myself had people over she made pizza for us. When there was a special celebration there was always pizza on the table, cold or hot. The one pizza we all fought over was her filled pizzas with rapini. We never called them calzones. Calzones are a traditional pizza originating out of Naples and named after the Italian word for the leg of trousers or pants. In our region they are just called "Pizza ripiena con rapini" meaning rapini filled pizza. My  mother's version o

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