Cauliflower pasta, Sicily-style

Classical Sicilian pasta that combines savoury and sweet flavours. In Italy it is called rigatoni with broccoli arriminati or pasta "chi vrocculi arriminati" but the main ingredient is not broccoli : it's cauliflower. In fact in Sicily cauliflower is called broccoli.

Soak the sultanas in warm water.
Clean the cauliflower; remove the outer green leaves and the core from the stalk end. Break the cauliflower into pieces, then break off florets. They must be very little in order to cook in few minutes. Wash them.
Wash the anchovies under running water in order to remove the salt; take off the head and backbone; cut them into little pieces.
Wash the basil leaves, cut them into pieces with your fingers (don't use a knife!) and set aside.
Meanwhile bring to the boil abundant salt water for cooking pasta and cauliflower.
Cook the pasta in this boiling water and then cauliflower but only 5 minutes before the end of cooking.
While pasta is cooking, peel and chop the onion and saute it in a frying pan with the olive oil.
Add anchovies and melt them in the oil stirring with a wooden spoon.
Then add the powdered saffron (dissolved in 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water), sultanas (squeezed of their soaking water) and pine nuts.
Season to taste with salt and simmer, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
Drain pasta and cauliflower very well and pour them into a large bowl.
Toss them with the sauce, basil and grated Pecorino cheese.
Serve hot.

Note

• - In Sicily people use bucatini for this pasta recipe or the pasta they have at home
• - We always suggest not to dress pasta with the cheese but to put in on the table in a little bowl so every one can sprinkle it on the top only if liked.
• - Carlo and I love very much this pasta tossed with cauliflower. It's a tasty one-plate meal and we complete our meal with a green seasonal salad and fresh fruit. But we have modified the recipe in the years. Read more ...

What's the right wine ?

Our suggestion is: Nero d'Avola (red wine from Sicily)