Pasta With A Sicilian Flair Recipes

SICILIAN PASTA AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Heat the water for your pasta while you prepare the broccoli.
• In a shallow, 10-inch saute pot, heat the 1 cup olive oil over medium-high heat (see Cook's Note). Add the broccoli to the oil and season it with salt. Saute the broccoli for about 4 minutes, or until it takes on a toasty color. The broccoli will absorb a lot of the oil, so if you find your pot getting dry, just add a little more oil to it. Throw in the garlic and cook for about another minute, until it's slightly brown. Don't burn the garlic! Take the broccoli off the heat and set it aside.
• Prepare the penne according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and toss it in the pot with the broccoli, garlic, and olive oil. If the mixture seems dry, add a little more oil.
• Toss in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, stir, and garnish with the parsley.

SICILIAN CAULIFLOWER PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Meanwhile, trim the thick stems off the cauliflower and coarsely grate the florets on the large holes of a box grater (it's fine if some small florets remain whole). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower, raisins, garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is crisp-tender and slightly browned, about 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the pasta, parsley, dill, lemon juice, cheese and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Add more cooking water to loosen, if needed. Season with salt. Serve with more grated cheese.

PASTA SICILIANO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place farfalle pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook the garlic until lightly browned. Mix in red pepper and lemon juice. Stir in the pine nuts, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Toss in the cooked pasta and feta cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

PASTA E CECI (ITALIAN PASTA AND CHICKPEA STEW)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not taking on any color, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and red-pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute more. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the tomatoes and the chickpeas, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon or spatula and smashing about 1/2 cup of the beans.
• Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil over high. Add the pasta and simmer, stirring often to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. The water will mostly be absorbed by the pasta, but if you prefer it brothier, you can add 1/2 to 1 cup water and simmer until warmed through, 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the escarole and stir until wilted. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

SICILIAN PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Place the raisins or currants in a small bowl and cover with warm water. In another bowl combine the saffron with 3 tablespoons warm water. Let both sit for 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the cauliflower and boil gently until the florets are tender but the middle resists when poked with a skewer or knife, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoons or tongs (or a pasta insert) remove the cauliflower from the water, transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. You will cook the pasta in the cauliflower water. Cut the florets from the core of the cauliflower and cut them into small florets or crumble coarsely using a fork or your hands.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it smells fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, and add the anchovies and tomatoes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Drain the raisins or currants and add, along with the saffron and its soaking liquid, cauliflower, pine nuts or almonds, and about 1/4 cup of the cooking water from the cauliflower. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
• Bring the cauliflower water back to a boil and cook the pasta al dente, following the timing instructions on the package. Check the sauce and if it seems dry add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and transfer to the pan with the sauce. Toss together and serve, sprinkled with pecorino and chopped basil leaves. If desired, drizzle a little olive oil over each serving.