You should know that we Sicilians, to give more flavor and texture to our dishes, use a humble yet essential ingredient: “muddica atturrata,” or toasted breadcrumbs! We use it everywhere, on first courses, the pasta chi masculini and u finocchiettu rizzu is a great example, but also on fish-based second courses and vegetables, especially on peppers! For years, it was used as a substitute for grated cheese, as the less affluent classes couldn’t afford anything else! Hence the definition as “poor man’s cheese”! Today, ironically, the situation is completely reversed, considering that this ingredient is now often used by many renowned chefs and restaurants, both Sicilian and not! And as a good Sicilian, I could not help but offer you another dish where the muddica atturrata not only plays a part but is the true crown of the recipe, without which the final result would be good but lack that extra something! My recent trip to Lipari, where I also bought products made with Salina capers that I swear add an extra value to every preparation, inspired this dish! The caper crumble I added at the beginning and at the end, right before plating, made this first course from my homeland aromatic and harmonious! If you can’t find the crumble, you can add more of the capers called for in the recipe because even so, you’ll fall in love with it at the first bite!
If Sicilian recipes are your passion, here are some other suggestions for you to try:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Autumn
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; buying them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it will cost you nothing extra!
- 11 oz caserecce
- 16 oz yellow cherry tomatoes (in natural juice)
- 1.2 oz salted capers
- 3 teaspoons caper crumbles (optional + as needed)
- 1.75 oz breadcrumbs
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 sprig rosemary
- as needed basil
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (+ as needed)
- as needed salt
- as needed pepper
Tools
- 2 Pans
- 1 Knife
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Casserole
Steps
Start by preparing the toasted breadcrumbs, toasting them until they lightly brown over low heat in a small pan together with the knife-chopped rosemary and 2 tablespoons of oil. Turn off the heat and set aside.
In a second larger pan, brown the garlic clove for a couple of minutes with a dash of oil and 2 teaspoons of caper crumbles, then add your cherry tomatoes with all their juice, keeping the heat lively for a few more minutes.
Add the desalted capers under running water, lower the heat to minimum, and cook for about 15 minutes, adding a little hot water only if necessary.
Salt and pepper to taste.
In the meantime, boil your caserecce in plenty of salted water and drain them al dente. Add them to the cherry tomato sauce just before turning off the heat and let them absorb the flavor well.
Serve immediately garnished with a few tablespoons of toasted breadcrumbs, another pinch of caper crumbles, and basil to taste.
And voilà… your caserecce with yellow cherry tomatoes, caper crumbles, and toasted breadcrumbs is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣 As an alternative to caper crumbles, which are hard to find unless you live in Sicily, you can add a few pickled cucunci, the fruits of the caper plant, now available in any well-stocked supermarket.
🟣For a non-vegan/vegetarian version, you could melt 2-3 oil-packed anchovies in the pan with the garlic. You’ll see how delicious it is.
