Pasta alla Paolina, a first course of the Sicilian tradition

Let's embark on a delicious journey to discover Paolina pasta, a traditional Sicilian recipe prepared in two different variations.

'A Pasta Palìna , later Italianized as pasta alla paolina, is a tasty first course typical of Palermo cuisine. Going back to the original recipe was really difficult and we're not even sure if we succeeded. What is known about this typical product is that it was born in a monastery but what ingredients were used in the beginning is not clear. Of course there's no shortage of garlic, onion and tomato but as far as sardines, cauliflower, anchovies and fennel are concerned, the matter becomes more complicated and let's see why.

Bucatini alla Paolina: history of the dish

Pasta alla Paolina was prepared for the first time by a cooking friar from the convent of San Francesco di Paola in Palermo. The monastery followed the rule of the Paulines and, as "minimum friars" they had the absolute prohibition of consuming meat, fish and substitutes. It was therefore not easy to bring a new dish to the table every day that was somehow satisfying for the palate and so they did their best to exploit the ingredients available in the garden.

In its basic version, this monastery dish included a tomato sauce flavored with garlic and onion and enriched with various spices including cinnamon and cloves. Therefore, following the "rule" of the monastery, all versions with sardines should be banned while those with the addition of cauliflower remain more accredited. In short, when it comes to this recipe it is really difficult to come to a certain conclusion.

How to prepare the recipe for bucatini alla Paolina

1. First, heat a drizzle of oil in a pan with the whole clove of garlic and the finely chopped onion. Then add the anchovies (for a veg version you can omit them) and let them melt over a low flame before adding the tomato pulp. Season with the chopped cloves and the ground cinnamon, season with salt and cook for 15 minutes .
2. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for the time indicated on the package.
3. Meanwhile, in a pan, heat a drizzle of oil and toast the breadcrumbs .
4. Once the pasta is ready, drain it and toss it in the hot sauce, adding the freshly chopped basil. Distributed on plates and completed with a sprinkling of toasted bread.

Paolina pasta with cauliflower

This is probably the most accredited variant and similar to the original. Preparing it is equally simple and, as indicated in the main recipe, it will be sufficient to omit the anchovies to obtain a vegan first course.

To prepare the pasta with the cauliflower ( one of medium size ), wash it well under running water, cut it into florets and blanch them in salted water for 10 minutes (you will then use the same water for cooking the pasta). Retrieve the vegetables with a slotted spoon and chop them coarsely with a knife then transfer them to the pan together with the oil and the now melted anchovy. Continue as per the recipe, adding the tomato pulp and you're done.

However, we advise you to also try the delicious pasta with sardines , another classic of Sicilian cuisine.

storage

Paolina pasta can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days . You can heat it both in a pan and in the microwave before consuming it.