Cannulicchi a la Favurita – Cannolicchi alla Favorita is a Sicilian pasta dish that celebrates three of spring’s finest vegetables: fresh broad beans, peas and artichokes.
In Sicily, as in much of Italy, these vegetables arrive at much the same time and are natural companions. Their flavours are different but complementary: broad beans are slightly earthy, peas bring sweetness, and artichokes add their distinctive gentle bitterness. Together, dressed generously with extra virgin olive oil and pecorino, they make a particularly good sauce for pasta.
In Melbourne, spring brings the same opportunity. Broad beans and fresh peas appear in the markets, along with beautiful fleshy artichokes, and this is the time to make the dish while the vegetables are young and tender.
Cannolicchi alla Favorita and the Charleston
The recipe, and its intriguing name, came to me from the menu of the Charleston, a celebrated restaurant in Mondello, the seaside resort on the outskirts of Palermo.
The Charleston was known for presenting Sicilian ingredients and traditional dishes with considerable elegance. Its setting by the water added to its glamour, and it had a reputation as a place frequented by pezzi grossi – literally “big pieces”, but colloquially important or influential people.
I have never discovered precisely why the restaurant was given the name Charleston. Perhaps it was intended to suggest the glamour and exuberance associated with the Charleston and the fashionable dance halls of the 1920s. Whatever its origins, the name certainly suited such a grand seaside restaurant.
Its cooking drew strongly on Sicilian tradition but presented familiar ingredients in a more refined and contemporary way. Cannolicchi alla Favorita is a good example: simple seasonal vegetables transformed into an elegant pasta dish.
What Are Cannolicchi?
There is a little linguistic complication here because cannolicchi can refer to different things depending on context.
In this recipe, cannolicchi refers to the pasta: short, smooth, hollow tubes, generally about 5–6 centimetres long. Their cylindrical shape is particularly suitable because the pieces catch the vegetables, cheese and olive oil.
If cannolicchi pasta is unavailable, another reasonably large tubular pasta can be substituted.
The name cannolicchi has also been used in Sicily for certain artichokes, which makes the title of the dish particularly interesting when both pasta and artichokes appear on the same plate.
Broad Beans, Peas and Artichokes. A Sicilian Pasta for Spring
This is not a pasta dish with a heavy sauce. I think of it more as a warm spring vegetable salad combined with pasta.
The vegetables are cooked only briefly so that they remain fresh tasting and retain their beautiful variations of green. For this reason, I prepare the vegetables while the pasta is cooking and bring everything together at the last moment.
For the artichokes, use the tender inner heart and the fondo (the fleshy base beneath the leaves). I also use the peeled stalks because they have excellent flavour and there is no reason to waste them.
Large, fleshy artichokes are particularly suitable. You will need to strip off the outer leaves to reveal a fresh looking crisp heart .When they are in season, I find excellent ones at the Queen Victoria Market.
Fresh Herbs and Ricotta
The original combination is already full of flavour, but I like to add fresh herbs towards the end of cooking.
Mint is particularly good with broad beans and peas. Tender fennel fronds are another very Sicilian choice, while basil works beautifully when it is in season.
I also sometimes place a spoonful of fresh ricotta on each serving. It is not essential, but its mild creaminess is a lovely contrast to the pecorino and the slight bitterness of the artichokes.
The important thing is not to overwhelm the vegetables. This is a dish about freshness, simplicity and the flavours of spring.
What appeals to me most about Cannolicchi alla Favorita is its restraint. There is no elaborate sauce and no need for long cooking. Its success depends almost entirely on the quality and freshness of the vegetables.
Cannolicchi alla Favorita Recipe
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 400 g cannolicchi or another tubular pasta
- 5 large artichokes, depending on size
- 1 lemon
- 1 kg young broad beans, in their pods
- 1 kg young peas, in their pods
- 1 large fresh white onion, finely sliced
- 100 g pecorino, freshly grated
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- fresh mint, fennel fronds or basil, finely chopped
- fresh ricotta, optional, for serving
Prepare the Vegetables
Shell the peas and broad beans.
If the broad beans are very young and tender, I leave their pale green outer skins intact. With larger beans, remove the tougher outer skin.
Prepare a bowl of cold water acidulated with the juice of the lemon.
Trim the artichokes generously, removing the tough outer leaves until you reach the tender centre. Cut away any fibrous parts and remove the choke if one has developed. Retain the tender fleshy base and peel the stalks.
Slice the artichoke hearts, bases and stalks finely and place them immediately into the acidulated water to prevent discolouration.
Cook the Pasta and Vegetables
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, salt it generously and add the pasta.
While the pasta cooks, make the vegetable sauce.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pan. Add the sliced fresh onion and cook gently until softened and lightly golden.
Drain the artichokes well and add them to the pan with the peas and broad beans. Season with salt and toss the vegetables over medium heat for about 7–10 minutes, or until just tender.
The exact cooking time will depend on the age and size of the vegetables. Avoid overcooking them — they should retain their freshness, colour and individual character.
Add the finely chopped herbs towards the end of cooking.
Bring Everything Together
Drain the pasta when it is al dente, reserving a little of the cooking water.
Add the pasta to the vegetables and toss gently so that the olive oil and vegetable juices coat the pasta. If necessary, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water to loosen the mixture.
Serve immediately with freshly grated pecorino and plenty of black pepper.
For an extra touch, add a spoonful of fresh ricotta to each plate.
The complete dish is a reminder of something fundamental to Sicilian cooking: when produce is at its best, very little needs to be done to it.