One of the most popular dishes in Sicily , in winter, is pasta with baked broccoli . It is a Sicilian recipe that gives us a delicious first course. Rich, stringy, tasty and perfect for any family lunch, Sicilian broccoli pasta is a treat for the palate. It allows you to taste seasonal vegetables and take advantage of their properties and their precious nutritional values. Sicilian 'ncasciata pasta with broccoli is one of those recipes that require few and common ingredients but which give great satisfaction (exactly like pasta alla Norma or fish stockfish a ghiotta ). Here's how to prepare it.
Why pasta with “arriminati” broccoli? What does it mean
Simply that the broccoli must be mixed ( arriminati , in Sicilian) until a sort of cream is obtained, ideal for seasoning pasta. Which is then completed with a mix of delicious additions.
Pasta with baked broccoli, the ingredients
Let's start with the ingredients , from which comes a first twist. Pasta with broccoli arriminati alla Palermo is actually prepared with… cauliflower . Yes, because in Sicily, the term broccoli also means the latter. And speaking of cauliflower, since it is the true protagonist of the recipe, it must be very fresh and tasty, for an exceptional result. To complete the sauce, raisins, pine nuts, anchovies and saffron.
- 400 g of rigatoni
- 1 broccoli (aka cauliflower)
- 3-4 anchovy fillets in oil
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoons of raisins
- 1 tablespoon of pine nuts
- 1 packet of saffron
- breadcrumbs to taste
- 100 g of grated caciocavallo
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
How to prepare Sicilian baked cauliflower pasta
- Clean the cauliflower, divide it into florets and wash them well. Boil them al dente in boiling salted water. Set the water aside by draining the cauliflower.
- Fry the finely chopped onion in a little olive oil and the anchovy fillets in oil, which will melt over a low flame. Now add the pine nuts and raisins, the saffron dissolved in a little cooking water from the broccoli and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the broccoli into small pieces and lightly mash with a fork. Cook for 2 minutes over high heat, then add a couple of ladles of broccoli cooking water, season with salt and pepper and cook, covered, for 10-15 minutes.
- On the side, toast the breadcrumbs in a non-stick pan with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Cook the pasta in the reserved cooking water, drain it al dente in the pan with the broccoli and mix well. Complete with part of the grated caciocavallo.
- Grease a pan with oil, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and pour the pasta into it. Level well and sprinkle over the caciocavallo and the remaining toasted breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with a drizzle of oil and cook at 200°C in a hot oven for about 20-25 minutes.
Pasta with broccoli arriminati, the calories
It is certainly not a light dish. Although it is not possible to quantify the calories of pasta with broccoli arriminati with certainty, they are no less than 450 per serving. However, it can be made more or less light by decreasing the amount of cheese (which, if the broccoli is tasty, can only be used on top of the pasta and not in the sauce).
