Pasta "Ro Malu Tempu"
Description
This Sicilian pasta dish stars a broccoli-based sauce with bread crumbs, anchovies, raisins, pine nuts, and saffron for tons of flavor.
Ingredients
•
2 tablespoons raisins
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1 (12 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
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3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
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4 anchovy fillets
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2 tablespoons minced onion
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1 clove garlic, minced
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1 head broccoli, separated into florets
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4 saffron threads
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2 tablespoons pine nuts
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1 pinch ground cinnamon
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1/4 cup toasted bread crumbs
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1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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2 tablespoons toasted bread crumbs
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1
Soak raisins in warm water for 10 minutes; drain and set aside.
2
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes.
3
At the same time, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly saute anchovies, onions, and garlic, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Mash the anchovies a bit to help them dissolve to create a paste. Add broccoli and begin to saute over medium heat, stirring often to avoid burning. Cook evenly until softened, about 10 minutes. Break up large florets as soon as they softens; ideally, you want bite-sized florets. Add ladles of the pasta water to the skillet as needed to keep the broccoli from burning.
4
Add a ladle of pasta water to a small bowl, add the saffron threads, and allow to melt. Add to the broccoli. Mash some of the smaller florets to help create a creamy sauce. Add the pine nuts, raisins, and cinnamon. Stir often.
5
Drain cooked pasta, reserving the pasta water. Stir pasta into the skillet. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup bread crumbs and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat, adding a few tablespoons of pasta water if necessary. Drizzle remaining oil and 2 tablespoons bread crumbs over the top and add black pepper. Serve hot.