Penne con Broccoli Arriminati (Penne and Cauliflower Hodgepodge)

I've made Penne con Broccoli Arriminati, page 124 of the Primi section (first courses) in È Pronta by Benedetta Parodi.  Benedetta states this recipe has its origins in Sicily.  Although the name implies broccoli is used, in actuality, it's cauliflower.  The word arriminati translates to mescolare, which means confused, concocted, or mixed up.  Hodgepodge is a good description.

I really wanted to make this recipe. I bought a nice fresh tin of anchovies (Italian) from Trader Joe's and a bag of organic California raisins. I had cauliflower in the fridge.

I followed the directions perfectly. I tasted the sauce before mixing with my precious penne pasta, which I just bought last November in Italy. I didn't really love the sauce, but it was still missing two ingredients, the pasta and the toasted bread crumbs. 

Being cautious, I used a fresh pan and mixed only half the penne with half the sauce, which I had lightened with a spoonful of hot pasta water. I plated it and sprinkled on the bread crumbs. I took a picture, blessed the food and took a bite. Giving it one more chance, I took another forkful. 

I returned to the kitchen and rinsed off the pasta. With another pan (the fourth), I sauté a garlic clove, hot dried pepper, a bit of parsley from the freezer and made a delicious Pasta aglio, olio e pepperoncino.

The sauce and its cauliflower has been placed in a garbage bag and removed to the trash bin outside.

Penne con Broccoli Arriminati (Penne and Cauliflower Hodgepodge)

Serves 4

300 g penne pasta
1 cauliflower
2-3 anchovies fillets, packed in olive oil
1 handful raisins
1 handful pine nuts
1 package of saffron
3 t grated parmigiano or grana cheese
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove clove, finely chopped
olive oil, extravirgin
water from cooking pasta salt

Wash the cauliflower, divide into small florets.  Add to a pan of water and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, start the sauce. Finely chop the onion and garlic together and saute in a medium sized saucepan.  When the onion is translucent, add the finely chopped anchovies and let them melt into the mixture.  Add the raisins, whole pinenuts, tomato concentrate and saffron. Simmer a few minutes.

When the cauliflower is tender, lift it from the water and transfer it to the sauce.  Add the pasta to the water which cooked the cauliflower.  Set timer for pasta to cook.  Gently mix the cauliflower with the sauce. Add the grated cheese.  Toast the breadcrumbs in another pan.

When the pasta is cooked, add it to the sauce and simmer a minute.  Serve to plates and garnish with toasted breadcrumbs.  

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Ingredienti Pasta
per 4 persone: 

300 gr di penne
 1 cavolfiore
 2-3 filetti di acciughe sott'olio
 1 manciata di uva sultanina
 1 manciata di pinoli
 1 cucchiano di concentrato di pomodoro
 1 bustina di zafferano
 3 cucchiano di parmigiano o grana
 1 cipolla
 1 specchio d'aglio
 olio extravergine
 acqua di cottura qb sale

Procedimento

1. Lessare i cavolfiori in acqua bollente, poi scolarli e nella stessa acqua mettere a cuocere la pasta.
2. Tostare il pangrattato in una padella.
3. In un'altra padella rosolare la cipolla tritata in olio, poi unire le acciughe e farle sciogliere.
4. Unire anche uvetta, pinoli e cavolfiori al soffritto.
5. Aggiungere anche lo zafferano stemperato in un goccio di acqua di cottura e il concentrato di pomodoro.
6. Schiacciare leggermente i cavolfiori in padella.
7. Scolare la pasta e ripassarla nel sugo ai cavolfiori.
8. Mantecare con burro e parmigiano e unire il pangrattato. Completare con una macinata di pepe.