Fusilli con i Broccoli Arriminati
Source of Recipe
Chef2Chef Newsletter 12/19/03
Recipe Introduction
Fusilli with Green Cauliflower Sauce
The flavor of this sauce is a combination of sweet and sour in the tradition of many Sicilian dishes. Sicilian green cauliflower has a particular taste, and it can be found only locally, but this dish is a mouthwatering experience of
Sicilian cooking and is enjoyable even if another type of cauliflower is used. The best pasta for this dish is fusilli, a spiral-shaped dry pasta. Serve this dish lukewarm at least two hours after the preparation, giving it time to set and blend all the flavors.
List of Ingredients
2 lbs. (900 gr.) green cauliflower
Salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
crushed red pepper
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
2 oz. (60 gr.) pine nuts
2 oz. (60 gr.) raisins
1 bag saffron powder
1 lb. (450 gr.) fusilli pasta
Recipe
Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil, add cauliflower and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until cauliflower is half-cooked and not yet fully tender.
Drain the cauliflower with the help of a large slotted spoon. Reserve the cooking water.
Dissolve the saffron in 1�2 tablespoons of the cooking water.
In a medium-size saucepan, pour the olive oil, and turn heat to medium. Add the onion, generous red pepper, and saut� gently until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
Remove the saucepan from the stove, add the anchovy fillets and quickly stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve them. When adding the anchovies, don�t let them cook otherwise they will burn, giving the dish a very strong tang.
Return the saucepan to the stove, add pine nuts, raisins, saffron and cauliflower. Mix to combine and saut� briefly.
Anchovies can be very salty, therefore adjust salt at this point if necessary.
If sauce is too thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the cauliflower cooking water.
Bring the stockpot with the cauliflower cooking water to a boil.
Cook the fusilli in the cauliflower cooking water following manufacturer�s instructions. Taste for readiness from time to time, until al dente (firm but not too soft or overcooked). Drain and transfer to a bowl.
Top with the sauce, toss, and set aside until lukewarm.
This dish can be served warm, but it will be tastier if eaten lukewarm, after a few hours, or even the day after it is prepared.
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