Catanese grandmother’s recipe for braised cauliflower, or Catanese “cauliflower pie”.
Like their cousins “braised broccoli“, but less “noble”, so much so that they earned the name “bastaddi”, they are also an ancient dish of the Catanese tradition. They are delicious as a side dish, starter, a sauce for pasta and as a filling for the traditional scacciata. Despite their unfortunate nickname, the purple cauliflowers of Catania are a truly versatile vegetable with a delicate taste. During winter they appear on every greengrocer’s stall in the area and, like other blue or purple fruits and vegetables, they have anti-inflammatory and anti-platelet aggregation properties, protect the microcirculation, are antioxidant and contain carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. So let’s not miss them on our tables and prepare them in every way but especially “braised”. Before you go to the kitchen, I remind you that if you want to stay updated on new recipes you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here). Also, if you take a look at my collection dedicated to Easy and quick recipes with cauliflower, you’ll find many other tasty ideas with this versatile and delicious winter vegetable and, if you love Sicily, you can’t miss the cookbook dedicated to Sicilian cuisine and grandma’s recipes!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 10 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Winter, Autumn, Winter
Ingredients to make braised cauliflower
- 3.3 lbs cauliflower (preferably purple)
- 1 onion (medium)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste black pepper
- to taste salt
- 1 glass red wine
- 1 cup Pecorino Siciliano (grated)
Tools
- Pot
- Plate
- Parchment paper
Preparation
Wash the cauliflower, separate the florets and slice them. Line the bottom of a pot with parchment paper.
Arrange the cauliflower in layers with the grated cheese, the onion, pepper and oil.
Repeat the layers, season with salt and finish with a generous handful of cheese and oil — don’t skimp. Pour half a glass of red wine over the arranged cauliflower. (If you like, you could add black olives and anchovies; I don’t because my family doesn’t particularly like them).
Cover with parchment paper and the pot lid, set to the lowest heat and let simmer for at least 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes, they will be ready to be turned over.
Without breaking them apart, invert them onto a large plate or tray,
and, as if you were flipping an omelet, gently slide them back into the pot, where you still have the bottom covered with parchment paper. Pour the other half glass of wine and cover with parchment paper and a plate. See the photo. You will need to repeat the flipping operation at least two more times, always without breaking them apart and without adding more wine.
When fully cooked, turn them onto a serving plate, let them cool slightly and serve. They are also excellent at room temperature and can be stored in the fridge, well sealed in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.
Notes
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