Ricette di Sicilia

Name: Pasta with Tenerumi: A Delightful Sicilian Summer Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Sicilian
Ingredients: 300g spaghetti; 1 bunch of tenerumi (the tender shoots and leaves of serpent courgette); 4 ripe tomatoes; 2 garlic cloves; Extra virgin olive oil; Salt; Freshly ground black pepper

Cibo, cultura e tradizioni siciliane

Pasta with Tenerumi: A Delightful Sicilian Summer Soup

Dive into the flavours of Sicily with this refreshing pasta dish made using tenerumi — the tender leaves of the serpent courgette — bursting with summer freshness and soul.

📖 What is it

Dive into the flavours of Sicily with this refreshing pasta dish made using tenerumi — the tender leaves of the serpent courgette — bursting with summer freshness and soul.

Author: Nino Messina • Published on: May 8, 2015

Categories: First Courses

Tags: garlic extra-virgin olive oil pasta black pepper tomatoes salt tenerumi

⏱️

Prep Time

About 20 minutes

🔥

Cook Time

Around 30 minutes

👥

Serve

Serves 4

📊

Difficulty

Easy

💰 Budget-friendly

🗓️ Summer

⭐ 4.9/5

🛒 Ingredients

✓ 300g spaghetti

✓ 1 bunch of tenerumi (the tender shoots and leaves of serpent courgette)

✓ 4 ripe tomatoes

✓ 2 garlic cloves

✓ Extra virgin olive oil

✓ Salt

✓ Freshly ground black pepper

📊 Nutritional Information

Calories

280 kcal

Protein

8 g

Fat

10 g

Carbohydrates

40 g

Fiber

5 g

Sugars

5 g

Sodium

200 mg

Pasta with tenerumi beautifully captures the heart and soul of Sicilian cooking. This traditional Mediterranean summer soup showcases the delicate young leaves and shoots of the serpent courgette, known locally as cucuzza longa. The fragrant aroma and velvety texture of the tenerumi turn every mouthful into a sensory journey through Sicily’s vibrant colours and tastes. It’s a dish that conjures up memories of family lunches, where breaking spaghetti by hand was a cherished little ritual around the table. Enjoy this soup on warm summer days, when the tenerumi are at their freshest, and let their garden-fresh flavour transport you straight to the sun-drenched island.

👨‍🍳 Preparation

1

Pick through the tenerumi, selecting only the tender tips and leaves, discarding any tough fibres.
2

Rinse them under cold running water to wash away any soil.
3

Blanch the tenerumi in salted boiling water for 20 minutes, then drain and roughly chop. Keep the cooking water aside.
4

Score the tomatoes and briefly plunge into boiling water to loosen the skins, then peel and chop.
5

Finely chop the garlic and gently fry it in extra virgin olive oil in a large pan, taking care not to burn it.
6

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook with the garlic for a few minutes, letting the flavours meld.
7

Stir in the tenerumi along with a couple of ladlefuls of their cooking water and simmer for 10 minutes.
8

Break the spaghetti into smaller pieces and add to the pan, cooking in the simmering soup and adding more tenerumi water as needed to cook the pasta al dente.
9

Season with freshly ground black pepper before serving piping hot.

💡 Tips and Variations

For a richer flavour, stir in diced Sicilian caciocavallo cheese and let it melt into the soup just before serving.

📦 Storage

• Store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• The dish can be frozen for up to a month.
• Reheat in the oven at 160°C for 10 minutes before enjoying.

🍷 Pairing

Pair this pasta with a chilled glass of Contea di Sclafani Grillo — a sparkling wine known for its elegant aroma and well-structured flavour, best served between 6 and 8°C.

Why not bring a little Sicilian sunshine to your table with this comforting, flavour-packed pasta? It’s perfect for brightening up a summer evening and sharing with good company. Give it a go, and don’t forget to pass on the joy by inviting family and friends to enjoy this rustic, soul-warming dish alongside you. Buon appetito!