I was recently invited to join the morning program on SBS Italian Radio Live, where I had the pleasure of discussing winter vegetables with hosts Massimiliano Gugole, who is based in Sydney and Andrea Pagani is based in Melbourne.
Living close to Queen Victoria Market, I’m fortunate to have a daily view of the bustling sheds and open-air car park from my balcony. The market is where I shop and where I’ve sourced fresh produce for as long as I have lived in Melbourne. Before that I lived in Adelaide and I also lived close to the Adelaide Central Market.
Quality ingredients, especially seasonal ones, are central to my cooking.
During the live broadcast, I noted that alongside typical winter produce, stalls are still offering late-season peppers, eggplants, and zucchini, mostly grown in warmer areas like Mildura. But what I was most excited about was the fennel – crisp, aromatic, and at its peak right now. Also in abundance are mushrooms, radicchio, witlof, chicory, and of course, the winter brassicas.
I was particularly pleased to find and cook the season’s first globe artichokes.
Chef Piera Pagnoni confirmed the richness of the winter harvest – cabbages, cauliflowers, fennel, broccoli – though she pointed out that these aren’t always children’s favourites. Her advice? “There’s always a secret weapon: cover it with béchamel, add a little Parmesan, put it in the oven… and everyone loves it.” Spoken like a true cook from Bologna, where pasta and comfort go hand in hand.
Later in the program, Chef Gianmarco Pardini from Sydney joined the conversation and reminded us that this is also a great season for fish: “The water is colder, so the fish eats more and becomes tastier.”
During the program, I remembered and shared a recipe that holds special meaning for me – a cauliflower dish my Sicilian grandmother from Catania used to prepare. It’s simple, seasonal, and a wonderful way to celebrate the best of winter produce.
CAULIFLOWER smothered in strong Sicilian flavour (Cavolfiore Affogato / Vruòcculi Affucati)
One of the most flavourful and dramatic ways to cook cauliflower comes from my grandmother Maria, who was born in Catania. This dish is called Cavolfiore Affogato in Italian, and Vruòcculi Affucati in Sicilian, meaning literally “smothered/ suffocated cauliflower”. It refers to the way the cauliflower is slowly simmered in red wine and olive oil, gently compressed so that it softens into a layered like tortino (pie/cake/mould).
The wine not only deepens the flavour but also gives the cauliflower a lovely rose-coloured tinge that is especially noticeable if you use the classic white variety of cauliflower. The yellow cauliflower has an even more striking result.
Cauliflowers are now available in many colours but while purple or green versions are very attractive raw, they tend to lose their colour when cooked.
To cook
The method is quite unique. The small pieces of cauliflower are layered in a pot with anchovies, onion, pecorino, olive oil, and sometimes black olives. It should be 3-4 layers. It is then pressed under a weight as it cooks slowly on the stovetop.
To compress it, cover the layers with a piece of baking paper cut to shape, place a heat-safe plate on top, and add a weight. When you select the plate is important to that the plate is smaller than the size of the saucepan so as to leave a space around the rim to allow evaporation of the contents.
As a weight, I usually use my stone mortar, but a smaller saucepan partially filled with water works just as well. The aim is to gently press the layers down while the wine and oil simmer slowly.
As it cooks, the liquid gradually evaporates. What remains is a flavoured, cohesive “cake”(like a tortino) that can be sliced.
I use a pan with a heavy base to distribute the heat gently and I often use a piece of baking paper on the base to avoid sticking or use a non-stick saucepan. If needed, a spoonful of water can be added during cooking, but with low heat and a well-made pot, it’s rarely necessary.
Vruòcculi Affucati is perfect as a side dish, especially next to something bold in flavour. It’s traditionally served at room temperature, and lef tovers are even better the next day.
Ingredients
- 1kg cauliflower or broccoli (white or yellow preferred)
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 50–100g pecorino, thinly sliced
- 4–5 anchovy fillets (or more if you like)
- 1 glass of red wine
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, if needed
- 10 black olives, pitted (optional)
Method
Lightly oil the base of a deep saucepan. Line it with baking paper if you like.
Add a layer of cauliflower, then top with onion, anchovies, pecorino, pepper, and olives (if using). Repeat for two more layers, drizzling with olive oil as you go. Make sure the top layer is just cauliflower.
Press the layers gently with your hands. Pour the red wine over the top and finish with a final drizzle of oil.
Cover with baking paper or foil cut to size, then weigh it down with a plate and something heavy.
Cook on the lowest heat for 30–40 minutes. You’ll hear it begin to sizzle when the liquid has evaporated.
Allow it to rest before turning.
And of course I had written this recipe on my blog years ago and it has different photos to this post:
Inverno, cosa comprano e cosa mangiano italiani e italiane d’Australia?
LINK- Spoken in Italian: SBS live morning radio
CAVOLOFIORE AFFOGATO (Cauliflower braised in red wine, cheese and anchovies)
Other cauliflower recipes:
PASTA RIMESTATA COI CAVOFIORI; Pasta with cauliflower, sultanas, pine nuts and anchovies
