Quick to prepare, this dish releases all the aroma of Sicilian cuisine, which loves to pair the sweetness of raisins with saltier ingredients: pasta and cauliflower.

Ingredients for pasta and cauliflower for 4 people

350 g of semi-wholemeal penne
1 medium cauliflower
2 tablespoons of sultana raisins
2 tablespoons of pine nuts
1 onion
5 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons of grated pecorino
extra virgin olive oil
saffron
salt
pepper

Method

Soak the raisins in lukewarm water to soften. Trim the cauliflower and divide it into florets, washing them well. In the pot you will use to cook the pasta, bring plenty of salted water to the boil and cook the cauliflower together with the more tender small leaves cut into strips. Cook for 7–8 minutes, until the florets are tender but not falling apart, then remove them with a slotted spoon, taking care to keep the cooking water. Meanwhile, finely slice the onion and soften it in a pan with the oil. As soon as it turns golden, add half a glass of hot water in which the saffron has been dissolved, stir and add the cauliflower, the rinsed and dried raisins, the pine nuts and the anchovy fillets cut into pieces. Stir, cover and continue cooking for around ten minutes, adding salt if needed. Cook the pasta until al dente, drain it and toss it for a few minutes in the pan with the cauliflower. Once the heat is turned off, add the pecorino, a grinding of pepper, stir well and serve the pasta and cauliflower alla siciliana.

Variations

You can substitute the saffron with a small amount of tomato sauce.