Tenerumi pasta is a traditional Sicilian dish made with the tender leaves of the cucuzza lunga along with the cucuzza squash; fresh tomatoes; and pasta. A simple, flavorful and healthy dish.
What are tenerumi?
Pasta con tenerumi is a traditional Sicilian dish prepared with few ingredients and enjoyed during the summer months when tenerumi are available. This is a perfect example of cucina povera, that is making use of what is available without any waste.
Before proceeding to the recipe, I'm sure many of you are wondering what tenerumi are!
Tenerumi, also called taddi di cucuzza, are the soft, tender leaves and buds of the cucuzza lunga plant. That is the pale green long Sicilian summer squash, such as the one shown below, that my father proudly grew in his garden.
I was expecting the tenerumi to be bitter (similar to rapini), but instead found the flavor very mild.
My quest for tenerumi!
Unfortunately there are not many who grow these meter long cucuzzi (as my dad did) in Montreal. Therefore I set out in search of the elusive tenerumi during my most recent trip to Sicily.
When I asked several of my relatives in Naso (Messina) about where to find tenerumi, I was surprised to find out they had not even heard of this recipe! This is when I learned that it is usually prepared further west in the province of Palermo.
At last, I found my tenerumi at the local weekly mercato located in the town of Capo D'Orlando. Later that day, I eargerly prepared this pasta with tenerumi recipe for the first time in my tiny kitchen in Naso and we all enjoyed it for dinner.
Let me tell that you that it definitely hit the spot. After several days of indulging in local Sicilian specialties, this simple, healthy meal is just what our stomachs needed!
Tenerumi Pasta Ingredient List
- One bunch tenerumi: about 800 grams. Use only the tender buds and leaves. Compost the rest.
- Tomatoes: may be replaced with cherry tomatoes
- Spaghetti: broken into small pieces by hand, known as spaghetti sminuzzati. This is traditionally the type of pasta used in this recipe.
- To serve: grated Pecorino or Parmigiano cheese.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you don't have access to tenerumi where you live, in all honesty I really don't think there is a substitute with a similar flavor and texture. But if you want to try a variation of this recipe I would opt for greens such as swiss chard or escarole.
- Try replacing cucuzza squash with zucchini. Of course at this point you would have an entirely different, yet tasty, dish!
- Some possible variations of this recipe include adding an onion in place of garlic as well as the addition of cubed potatoes in place of the cucuzza.
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
How to make Sicilian Tenerumi Pasta
- Thoroughly wash the tenerumi leaves to remove all traces of dirt. Cut the leaves into thin strips.
- Peel the cucuzza. Slice lengthwise into quarters. If the cucuzza is large, use a spoon to scrape out the spongy seeds in the center. Chop the cucuzza into cubes and set aside.
- Prepare the remaining ingredients: dice the tomatoes; break spaghetti into small pieces by hand.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan, add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes, salt (to taste), and cook for 10 minutes until they break down.
- Stir in the chopped tenerumi leaves, a pinch of salt and cook until they begin to wilt. Add water (to cover) and bring to a boil.
- Add the cubed cucuzza, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the cucuzza is tender. Taste and add more salt as needed.
- Uncover, add the spaghetti and cook until the pasta is al dente. Adjust seasoning as needed. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil at the end of cooking.
- Serve hot or at room temperature with grated Pecorino or Parmigiano cheese at the table, if desired.
Recipe FAQs
There really is no real substitute for tenerumi in my opinion. However, if you want to attempt a similar recipe, try swiss chard or escarole instead of tenerumi.
Cucuzza is a summer squash and therefore you may use zucchini instead. Some variations of this recipe do not add the cucuzza at all.
I opted to leave my tomatoes as is. However you may peel your tomatoes if you prefer. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Score the tomatoes with a sharp knife. Add to the boiling water for a minute. Drain and let cool before removing the skin. It should peel off easily by hand.
I poured in enough water (6 cups) to just barely cover the tenerumi. The tenerumi release more water as they cook.
If you tried this Sicilian Tenerumi Pasta Recipe or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how much you enjoyed it in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
More Sicilian cucuzza recipes!
Sicilian Tenerumi Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 800 grams tenerumi 1 large bunch. Use only the tender leaves and buds, compost the rest. I had approximately 8 cups of tenerumi leaves.
- 500 grams cucuzza squash
- 450 grams tomatoes 3 large tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp. olive oil divided
- 6 cups water
- 250 grams spaghetti broken into small pieces, or other small pasta of your choice.
- salt to taste
- grated Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese for serving
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the tenerumi leaves to remove all traces of dirt. Cut the leaves into thin strips.
- Peel the cucuzza. Slice lengthwise into quarters. If the cucuzza is large, use a spoon to scrape out the spongy seeds in the center. Chop the cucuzza into cubes and set aside.
- Prepare the remaining ingredients: dice the tomatoes; break spaghetti into small pieces by hand.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan, add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes, salt (to taste), and cook for 10 minutes until they break down.
- Stir in the chopped tenerumi leaves, a pinch of salt and cook until they begin to wilt. Add water (to cover) and bring to a boil.
- Add the cubed cucuzza, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the cucuzza is tender. Taste and add more salt as needed.
- Uncover, add the spaghetti and let cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8-9 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil at the end of cooking.
- Serve hot or at room temperature with grated Pecorino or Parmigiano cheese at the table, if desired.
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