Pasta ch'i Vruoccoli Arriminati
A classic Palermo pasta dish featuring tender cauliflower broken down into a creamy sauce with saffron, sweet raisins, pine nuts, and savoury anchovies.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •Large cooking pot
- •Large deep sauté pan
- •Small frying pan
- •Slotted spoon
- •Colander
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 18 g
- carbs
- 82 g
- fibre
- 7 g
- protein
- 16 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- 2
Add the cauliflower florets and boil for 10 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a fork.
- 3
Lift out the cauliflower with a slotted spoon into a bowl, keeping the boiling water on low heat for the pasta.
- 4
Heat 10 ml of olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat.
- 5
Add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring constantly, until golden brown and crisp, then set aside in a bowl.
- 6
Warm the remaining olive oil in a deep sauté pan over medium-low heat and cook the onion until soft and sweet.
- 7
Add the anchovies, pressing them gently with a wooden spoon until they dissolve completely into the warm oil.
- 8
Stir in the drained sultanas, pine nuts, cooked cauliflower, and steeped saffron water.
- 9
Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, crushing and stirring the cauliflower continuously until it forms a creamy sauce.
- 10
Return the cauliflower cooking water to a rapid boil and cook the bucatini until very al dente.
- 11
Transfer the pasta directly into the sauce with a ladleful of starchy cooking water and toss vigorously for 2 minutes.
- 12
Divide among warm bowls and scatter generously with the crisp toasted breadcrumbs before serving immediately.
Chef's tips
Always cook the pasta directly in the water used to boil the cauliflower so the pasta absorbs its flavour. Stir the cauliflower persistently in the pan with a wooden spoon to break down the florets into a luscious cream. Never add grated cheese alongside the toasted breadcrumbs, as the breadcrumbs serve as the traditional seasoning.
Ingredient substitutions
- green cauliflower → standard white cauliflower or Romanesco
- bucatini pasta → casarecce or penne rigate
- anchovy fillets in oil → 1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed and finely minced for a vegetarian alternative
Storage
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, keeping extra breadcrumbs stored separately at room temperature.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a frying pan over medium heat with a splash of water until piping hot, then top with fresh toasted breadcrumbs.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Discarding the cauliflower cooking water instead of using it to boil the pasta.
- •Not cooking the cauliflower long enough, leaving crunchy chunks instead of a melting cream.
- •Burning the breadcrumbs by leaving them unattended in the frying pan.
Serving suggestions
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