Pasta Chi Tinnirumi or Pasta con i Tenerumi (in Italian) is a Sicilian culinary secret well worth discovering. What started as a "peasant dish" has now become an iconic Sicilian dish during the summer months.
In reality, it’s a soup, usually eaten in during July and August when the cucuzza is in season. (Yes, it is traditionally eaten hot, though many prefer a cold version because of the summer heat.) So why would you eat a bowl of hot soup on a raging summer day you ask? The concept is simple, as you eat the hot soupo, your body temperature rises making the air around you feels cooler than it really is. A genius concept if you ask me when your faced with those hot Sicilian Summer days!
What are tinnirumi? In Sicilian dialect it refers to the sprouts and tender leaves of the cucuzza or zucchina lunga which is a traditional Sicilian long green zucchini. Relatively tasteless, they are the subject of a Sicilian proverb:Falla come vuoi, sempre cucuzza è. (However you cook it, it’s still just squash!)
Enjoy this video of my fathers version of Pasta Chi Tinnirumi!