Sicilian pasta with “broccolo arriminato”: what is that?

Published by thesiciliancuisineblog at gennaio 1, 2023

NAME & VERSIONS OF THIS DISH

Have you ever heard about pasta with “broccolo arriminato”? Any clue on the meaning of the word “arriminato”?

In Sicilian language ARRIMINATO actually means “stirred” and this traditional Sicilian dish combines pasta (usually long one like bucatini or spaghetti n. 4) with an amazing condiment made with cauliflower and cooked in a very Sicilian way.

What do I mean by that?

Well… for those who are familiar with food and dishes from Sicily knows that we use simple ingredients but we combine them in the richest and tastier way possible.

In this dish we have the winning twins: raisins and pine nuts.

This pair is very recurrent in our cuisine and together with the salty anchovies and the sweetness of cauliflower make this pasta truly remarkable.

Another thing that is important to highlight here is that there are different version of this same dish, the one I give you is the express pasta one, while there is also a baked version who is prepared in the province of Trapani, in particular in Mazara del Vallo.

It adds saffron in the pasta and goes in the oven to grill the cheese on top. I have added a picture of that version too, below.

Ingredients and Preparation for 4 people

1 onion

1 medium cauliflower

e.v. olive oil

3-4 anchovies or anchovy paste

a glass of red wine

2-3 table spoons tomato purè

400 gr. pasta of your choice

a handful of pine nuts and raisins

5-6 tablespoon of breadcrumb

STEPS

In a large pot boil some water and cook the cauliflower adding some salt like you would do if cooking pasta, AFTER having washed it and cut it into pieces.

WARNING before starting: Do not throw the water away once you have drained the cauliflower out of the pot!

While the cauli is cooking, peel and chop the onion, pour some extra virgin olive oil in a sauce pan (about 3-4 tablespoons) on a medium heat and sauteè the onion, adding the anchovies until they became very soft and easy to melt with the help of a wooden spoon.

At this point add the tomato extract (or purée) and some white wine (3 spoons) that helps the extract to properly melt.

When the whole thing has become a creamy sauce add some pine nuts, raisins and the boiled cauliflower.

Keep using the wooden spoon to mash all the ingredients together just like in the picture above.

If it looks a bit too dry you can also add a couple of spoonful of water (the one in which the cauliflower has cooked).

Let the condiment cook like this for 10-15 minutes. The result must be very creamy, soft and a tiny bit watery.

It’s important that the cauliflower condiment is kind of juicy, otherwise will end up too dry with the breadcrumb.

This dish has a poor origin and that’s why we put breadcrumb on top instead of grated cheese. To prepare it you just need a frying pan on a high heat.

Mix the spoons of breadcrumb with a drizzle of olive oil and stir continuously until it becomes golden brown, then we usually serve it in what you call the gravy boat, as shown here on the left.

For the pasta, just cook it in the same pot and water of the cauliflower which will give it a stronger flavor.

Once pasta is ready, drain it and put it on dishes straight away with abundant condiment and finish with the lovely breadcrumb on top.

I am sure you have eaten all these ingredients before, but have you ever had them in this combination? It will be a brand new experience for you. Enjoy!!!