Orecchiette

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Trim and discard the tough ends from the broccoli rabe, rinse it well, and cut it crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Chop the garlic. Put a large dry skillet over medium heat and add the pine nuts. Toast, shaking the pan frequently and watching carefully not to burn, until they’re lightly browned and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to a plate. Return the pan to the heat and add the olive oil, garlic, and currants. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the white wine or water and adjust the heat so it bubbles gently.

While the sauce is reducing, add the dried tomatoes and 1/2 cup water. Add the broccoli rabe to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring once or twice, until it’s tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the broccoli rabe with a slotted spoon, add it to the skillet, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, gently mashing and stirring with a fork or the back of a spoon, until it’s quite soft, 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and stir occasionally. Start tasting for doneness after 7 minutes; it should be tender but not mushy. Remove about 1 cup of the cooking water and reserve. When the pasta is done, drain it into a colander. Add the pasta and pine nuts to the skillet, turn the heat to medium-high, and toss to coat the pasta with the sauce, adding some of the reserved cooking water if it looks too dry. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve.