Sicilian cuisine offers many delicious recipes based on vegetables, such as caponata, parmigiana, stuffed artichokes or peppers etc.
The drowned broccoli is a special but simple recipe, mostly from Catania and surrondings, even if it is known all over Sicily. The word “affogato” means “drowned” and refers to the red wine used to flavor the broccoli.
This dish is usually cooked during winter because it is the time of the year when you find fresh broccoli in Sicily and also because it is quite an energetic side dish, considering also its ingredients.
Broccoli Affogati are also used as stuffing for Scacciata Siciliana or cooked for a special baked pasta – pasta ‘ncasciata.
I personally love this dish, that is why I want to share the recipe with you! I recommend you to try it home or during your Sicilian trip, you can easily find broccoli affogati in restaurants among the buffet starters.
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil
1 kg Broccoli
100gr grated Pecorino cheese
4/5 anchovies
1 cup red wine
1 big onion
1 cup black olives
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Firstly, cut and wash the Broccoli keeping the leaves. Take a big pot and generously pour olive oil. Put in this order the raw broccoli, the chopped onions, black olives, some anchiovies, salt and pepper and cover the Broccoli with abundant grated pecorino cheese. Repeat this procedure with another layer of Broccoli, as you would make a cake.
Once you finish the layers, cover the broccoli with a plate to press the vegetables and put the lid on.
Let the vegetables cook over a moderate flame. For this recipe, you never want to stir the broccoli but only move the pan every now and then to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Only when the Broccoli are almost cooked and ready, pour half a glass of red wine and increase the flame for 3-4 minutes.
The Broccoli affogati are now ready. PS my advice is to serve them at room temperature to really taste their flavour!
If you liked this recipe please share it! By the way, did you know that you can also cook drowned Cauliflowers using the same method?! Let me know in the comments below if you have ever tried this faboulous dish 🙂
2 Responses
Mammamia, che fame che mi hai fatto venire! Adoro i broccoli, proverò senz’altro questa ricetta! Non avevo mai pensato di insaporire i broccoli con le olive, mi sa che ci stanno proprio bene…
try it and let me know!