Looking for a way to turn cauliflower into a stunning, centerpiece dish? Look no further! Variations of this savory pie can be found all across Sicily, a region that has truly mastered cauliflower. Like a lot of Sicilian food, this dish beautifully contrasts the sweeter flavors of cauliflower and onions with a satisfyingly savory punch from olives and anchovies.
Watch the Pasta Grammar video where we make Cudduruni here:
CUDDURUNI CON CAVOLFIORE RECIPE
Makes: One 9-inch pie
Cook Time: Up to 6 hours, largely unattended
For this recipe, you will need:
3/4 tsp (3g) active dry yeast
2/3 cup (160ml) room temperature water
2 cups (240g) semolina flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp (25g) lard
1 1/2 tsp (7g) salt, plus extra for seasoning to taste
1/2 of a large cauliflower head, trimmed into florets (since head sizes can vary, we recommend eye-balling to make sure you have enough florets to fill a 9-inch pie dish)
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing the pie
1/2 large onion, sliced
Red chili pepper flakes to taste (optional)
Fresh black pepper
15-20 pitted kalamata olives
2-3 diced anchovies (preserved under oil)
3.5 oz. (100g) chopped Sicilian caciocavallo cheese, or nearest substitute (we found ricotta salata to work well)
Large mixing bowl
Pot
Large skillet
Wooden spoon
9-inch pie tin
Basting brush
Rolling pin
Stir the dry yeast into the water until it dissolves. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and lard and begin kneading them together by hand. As you continue to mix them, gradually pour the water/yeast into the bowl.
Once all of the water is added and a rough dough has formed, add the salt and knead this in as well. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until you achieve a very soft, consistent dough. If it’s sticky, dust it with a little more flour as necessary.
Form the dough into a ball and place it back into the mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or until it doubles in size.
While the dough rises, you can prepare the filling. Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt it generously. Add the cauliflower florets and boil them for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and set the cauliflower aside.
Add the olive oil, onions and chili pepper flakes into a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté until the onion is very tender. Add the boiled cauliflower in, along with a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste. Stir the cauliflower in until it is well-mixed with the onion, then remove the pan from the heat. Finish by stirring in the olives, diced anchovies, and half of the cheese.
When the dough has risen, brush a 9-inch pie tin with olive oil. Cut about 2/3 of the dough ball off and, on a lightly floured surface, roll it out with a rolling pin into a big circle. Dust the dough with a little bit of flour if it sticks to the pin. Roll it until big enough to fill the bottom and sides of the pie tin, with some overhang.
Carefully drape the dough into the pie tin and gently press it into the corners. Evenly spread the cauliflower filling into the pie and top it with an even distribution of the remaining cheese. Roll the rest of the dough out until it is big enough the cover the top. Drape it over the filling, trim the overhang as needed, and roll the edges inward to form a rounded crust.
Let the assembled pie rest a further hour at room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 415 degrees F (215 C). When you’re ready to bake, brush the entire top of the pie liberally with olive oil.
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let the pie cool for 5-10 minutes before serving warm.
Buon appetito!
If you like this recipe, you might enjoy this "Sardinian Pot Pie!" If you have some leftover cauliflower, maybe try making an easy Tuscan cauliflower bruschetta!