CASSATA SICILIANA: SBS ITALIAN EASTER RECIPE

When I was asked to share an Easter recipe for SBS Italian Radio, I immediately chose cassata Siciliana — a dessert that truly represents Sicily, its history, flavours, and identity.

For the occasion, I prepared the recipe along with some notes in Italian to accompany the radio discussion, aiming to convey not just the steps, but also the cultural meaning behind this traditional dessert.

In this post, I have also included some photos of the cassata being made. These are not on the SBS website, but they help to show the process more clearly.

The remainder of the post is in Italian and I was interviewed by Massimiliano Gugole from SBS Radio Italian.

IN ITALIAN

Quando mi è stato chiesto di condividere una ricetta di Pasqua per SBS Italian Radio, ho scelto subito la cassata siciliana — un dolce che rappresenta bene la Sicilia sapori — la sua storia, i suoi sapori e la sua identità.

Per l’occasione ho preparato la ricetta e alcune note in italiano per accompagnare la conversazione in radio, cercando di trasmettere non solo i passaggi, ma anche il significato culturale di questo dolce tradizionale

In questo post ho aggiunto anche alcune foto della preparazione della cassata. Non sono presenti sul sito di SBS, ma aiutano a vedere meglio i passaggi.

****If you would like to listen to the interview and discussion in Italian on SBS Radio, here is the link:
90.avif

La cassata siciliana, nella ricetta di Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

https://www.sbs.com.au/language/italian/it/podcast-episode/la-cassata-siciliana-nella-ricetta-di-marisa-raniolo-wilkins/szz86479i 

Notes – Per parlare sulla radio

Cassata Siciliana — Tradizione e Gusto
  • La cassata siciliana è uno dei dolci più rappresentativi della Sicilia, soprattutto nel periodo di Pasqua. È un dolce ricco, scenografico, che racchiude storia, cultura e tradizione.
  • La cassata è un’opera culinaria che testimonia secoli di storia.  Dalle influenze fenicie, che introdussero le mandorle, all’apporto arabo, che portò zucchero, frutta secca, marzapane e agrumi, e al contributo spagnolo, che portò il pan di Spagna. I monsù, cuochi francesi al servizio delle famiglie aristocratiche siciliane, ne perfezionarono la presentazione, mentre le suore nei conventi custodirono e tramandarono le ricette tradizionali.
  • Alla base troviamo il pan di Spagna, soffice e leggermente inumidito con un liquore.
  • Il cuore della cassata è la ricotta, preferibilmente di pecora, lavorata con zucchero fino a diventare una crema liscia e delicata.’è un gesto semplice, ma molto significativo, che appartiene alla tradizione della cassata: la ricotta non si mescola soltanto — si passa al setaccio.
  • Alla ricotta si aggiungono piccoli pezzi di cioccolato fondente, pistacchi e scorze di agrumi canditi.
  • Il dolce viene poi assemblato in uno stampo: il pan di Spagna riveste base e lati, si riempie con la crema di ricotta, si chiude e si lascia riposare in frigorifero per una notte.
  • Il giorno dopo si sforma e si ricopre con la pasta reale/il marzapane, spesso di colore verde chiaro, e si decora con frutta candita.
  • La cassata, in tutte le sue varianti, `e un emblema di celebrazione. Le pasticcerie siciliane sono rinomate per la loro maestria nella preparazione e decorazione delle cassate. 
Cassata Siciliana — Ricetta Tradizionale
Consigli:

La cassata si prepara al meglio in due giorni. Si assembla il dolce il giorno prima e si lascia riposare in frigorifero per tutta la notte affinché si compatti. Anche il pan di Spagna beneficia di essere preparato in anticipo.

Note sugli Ingredienti

Ricotta

Usare ricotta soda e ben scolata, preferibilmente di pecora, naturalmente più dolce e saporita.

Spesso viene venduta in forme intere e tagliata al momento — questa è la migliore.

Evitare la ricotta confezionata in vaschetta, generalmente troppo acquosa e poco saporita. Se non avete alternative, è consigliabile scolarla per tutta la notte.

Per un ripieno più ricco, si può aggiungere un po’ di panna densa durante la lavorazione.

Frutta Candita

La frutta candita è conservata in uno sciroppo zuccherino che ne mantiene la morbidezza e ne intensifica il sapore. (Si chiama anche glacé)

Se possibile, utilizzare scorze di agrumi canditi di buona qualità oppure fette intere di arancia candita, invece della comune frutta candita mista.

Il cedro ha un ruolo importante nella pasticceria siciliana. Coltivato in Sicilia e in Calabria, si riconosce per la buccia spessa, dal verde al giallo.

Liquore

Usare secondo il proprio gusto. Alcune opzioni:

  • Liquori all’arancia: Cointreau, Grand Marnier
  • Liquore al mandarino: Mandarine Napoléon
  • Altri: Marsala dolce, Amaretto, Strega, Maraschino
Le foto: Come preparare la cassata

Ci sono tre parti da preparare:

  • Il pan di Spagna
  • Il marzapane
  • Il ripeno

 

Il pan di Spagna
Il ripieno – ricotta,  zucchero, cioccolato , pistacchi, scorze d’agrumi candite
Il pan di Spagna tagliato in quattro strati. Il marzapane steso tra due pellicole
Il marzapane, di due colori – naturale e verde. La confettura per attaccare il pan di Spagna

PREPARAZIONE DELLO STAMPO

Lo stampo foderato, il pan di Spagna -uno stato di sotto, e due strati per rivestire i lati. L’ultimo strato di sopra per coprire il ripieno.
L’ultimo strato di pan di Spagna per coprire il ripieno
Con un peso di sopra
La cassata sformata è ricoperta da una glassa di marzapane. La confettura viene utilizzata per facilitare l’adesione del marzapane al pan di Spagna
Quadretti del marzapane verde per l’applicazione sui lati
Quasi!
Eccola!

**Sul blog All Things Sicilian And More ci sono parecchi post della Cassata con altre foto, ma scritte in Inglese.

EASTER IN SICILY: Faith, Spring, History and Cassata

CASSATA ( Post no. 2) Calls for a celebration!!!

SICILIAN CASSATA and MARZIPAN AT EASTER (Food and Culture in Sicily, La Trobe University)

SICILIAN CASSATA and some Background (perfect for an Australian Christmas)

RICETTA PER LA CASSATA SICILIANA ( SBS )

Ingredienti

Come la maggior parte delle ricette italiane, le quantità degli ingredienti non contano davvero. I cuochi si affidano al gusto, all’occhio e al tatto.

Ripieno di Ricotta

  • 700 g – 800g ricotta fresca (preferibilmente di pecora)
  • 120 g zucchero semolato
  • 60–100 g cioccolato fondente, tritato
  • 100 g pistacchi, tritati
  • 60–100 g scorze di agrumi canditi (arancia, limone, cedro)
  • ¼ cucchiaino vaniglia (o pasta di vaniglia)
  • ¼ cucchiaino cannella

Per Assemblare

  • Circa 450 g pan di Spagna, fatto in casa (questo il peso quando acquistato nei negozi commerciali
  • Pasta reale (marzapane) per copertura
  • Frutta candita per decorare
  • ½ tazza (o più) di confettura di albicocche
  • ½–¾ tazza di liquore (o più, a piacere)

Pan di Spagna

Preparare 1–3 giorni prima.

Ingredienti

  • 5 uova
  • 120 g zucchero
  • 100 g farina setacciata
  • Scorza di limone e/o vaniglia
  • Burro per lo stampo

Procedimento

  1. Montare i tuorli con lo zucchero fino a ottenere un composto chiaro e cremoso.
  2. Montare gli albumi a neve ferma.
  3. Incorporare delicatamente gli albumi al composto di tuorli.
  4. Unire la farina setacciata e gli aromi.
  5. Versare in uno stampo imburrato e cuocere a forno moderato per circa 40 minuti, fino a doratura.
  6. Lasciare raffreddare completamente prima di tagliare.

Ripieno di Ricotta

  1. Lavorare la ricotta con lo zucchero fino a ottenere una crema liscia. (In alternativa, sciogliere lo zucchero in poca acqua per ottenere uno sciroppo, lasciarlo raffreddare e poi unirlo alla ricotta
  2. Aggiungere:
    • vaniglia
    • cannella
    • un goccio di liquore (facoltativo)
  3. Incorporare:
    • cioccolato
    • pistacchi
    • frutta candita

Mescolare delicatamente.

Pasta Reale (Marzapane)

Ingredienti

  • 500 g mandorle pelate e macinate finemente
  • 300 g zucchero a velo
  • 1 albume
  • Vaniglia q.b.
  • Un pizzico di sale
  • Qualche goccia di colorante verde

Procedimento

  1. Montare leggermente l’albume con il sale fino a renderlo spumoso.
  2. Aggiungere la vaniglia.
  3. Incorporare gradualmente mandorle e zucchero, impastando fino a ottenere un composto liscio ed elastico.
  4. Regolare la consistenza:
    • aggiungere mandorle o zucchero se troppo morbido
    • aggiungere poca acqua se troppo duro
  5. Avvolgere nella pellicola e conservare in frigorifero.

Quando sarete pronti per coprire la cassata:

Facoltativo:

Dividere in due parti e colorarne una di verde, oppure è decorato a larghe strisce verdi e del colore naturale del marzapane.

Stendere il marzapane tra due fogli di carta da forno.

Preparazione dello Stampo

  • Foderare uno stampo rotondo (da 25–30 cm) con pellicola o alluminio.
  • Tagliare il pan di Spagna in 4 strati.
  • Rivestire anche i lati dello stampo con le fette di pan di Spagna, utilizzando confettura se necessario per fissarle.

Assemblaggio della Cassata

  1. Disporre uno strato sul fondo e spennellare leggermente con confettura di albicocche.
  2. Inumidire con un po’ di liquore.
  3. Riempire lo stampo con il composto di ricotta e livellare.
  4. Coprire con l’ultimo strato di pan di Spagna.
  5. Inumidire leggermente con liquore.
  6. Coprire e porre un leggero peso sopra.

Mettere in frigorifero per tutta la notte.

Copertura e Decorazione

(Da fare il giorno del servizio)

  1. Sformare la cassata.
  2. Spalmare uno strato sottile di confettura di albicocche.
  3. Coprire con la pasta reale stesa.
  4. Decorare con frutta candita.

Mantenere in frigorifero fino al momento dell’uso.

CAPERS: BUDS, FLOWER, FRUIT, SALTING AND CUISINE

The logic of the caper plant — buds, flower, fruit — reveals itself slowly, and finally  there are predominately salted capers that are so much part of Italian cooking.

Watching a caper bush through its full cycle allows a deeper understanding: tight unopened buds, extravagant white flowers with violet stamens, pollinated berries that swell on long curved stalks.

Caper Bushes and the Life Cycle of Capers

Caper bushes are Capparis spinosa.

I have seen many caper bushes growing in Sicily where little else survives — in crevices, along dry-stone walls, through black volcanic soil and sun-baked earth. I lived in Trieste as a child and caper bushes grew on the walls surrounding the Church of San Giusto!

Now I  am able to observe one bush thriving in a garden in Adelaide, equally at ease in heat, stone and poor soil. It receives little water, yet produces an abundance of flowers. Its restraint in growth contrasts with the dramatic display of its blooms.

Tight unopened buds, top bud ready to bloom.

A tight green bud unfurls into delicate white petals and a burst of long violet stamens. The flower lasts barely a day. In Adelaide’s heat, by mid-morning the flower softens and collapses. What follows depends entirely on pollination. And after some rain I even spotted some bees circling around the flowers.

In the photographs, the stages of the buds to capers, and caperberries are clear.

Some flowers have fallen, leaving only a slender stem.

Stamen with caper berry forming.

Others show the ovary beginning to swell — the promise of a caper berry.

A few have formed smooth, olive-shaped fruit poised on curved stalks. And these are the caper berries.

Caper berries.

Pollination is decisive. Without it, the flower falls and no berry forms. When we harvest capers — the unopened buds — we deliberately interrupt the plant’s reproductive cycle.

Buds are the capers, in various sizes.
Culinary Uses

Capers are used in a wide variety of culinary applications and are a key ingredient in many Italian dishes. Some common examples include:

  • Sicilian pasta con le sarde
  • Vitello tonnato
  •  Caper sauces with anchovy and lemon, very suitable for fish dishes
  • Tomato, potato and a wide range of uncooked and cooked vegetable salads
  • Salsa verde
  • Pasta Puttanesca

Caper berries, larger and milder, suit antipasto platters, smoked fish garnishes and even cocktails in place of olives. Recently I used one instead of a green olive in a Martini!

Salting Capers: Preservation

Capers require preservation. Fresh caper buds are intensely bitter and must be cured.

Caper bushes can be found all over Sicily. The traditional Sicilian method — is dry salting rather than pickling.

The salt draws out moisture through osmosis, it reduces bitterness by leaching harsh compounds and preserves by inhibiting microbial growth.

Unlike vinegar pickling, salting concentrates and refines flavour rather than masking it.

Salt-Packed

Vinegar-Preserved

More complex flavour

Sharper, more acidic

Cleaner aroma

Vinegar can dominate

Traditional in Sicily

Common commercially

Requires rinsing

Ready to use

Before using salt-packed capers, rinse well and soak briefly (10–15 minutes or longer if needed and larger capers may require more soaking ), then gently squeeze dry.

Salted Sicilian capers – 2 sizes. the small ones are more expensive.
Three Sicilian Islands where capers Thrive and are processed for export

Across Sicily’s southern islands, Capparis spinosa demonstrates remarkable adaptability.

I found many containers of salted capers in the market in Syracuse.

Pantelleria — with its volcanic soil and fierce sun — produces intensely aromatic buds protected as Cappero di Pantelleria IGP. Dry-salting and size grading are meticulous. The smallest buds are prized for concentration and finesse. This small island lies in the Strait of Sicily, about 100 km southwest of Sicily and roughly 60 km east of Tunisia.

Lampedusa, shaped by limestone and water scarcity, preserves capers pragmatically in dry salt — no brine, no excess moisture. Here, capers reflect adaptation and subsistence Italy’s southernmost island, Lampedusa lies between Malta and Tunisia.

Salina and the Aeolian Islands balance cultivation with daily use. Dry-salting remains a common method, though brining is becoming commercially significant. Capers flavour fish, vegetables and salads — integrated into routine cooking. They also are added to sauces and I also add them to pan fried meat dishes.  Salina is one of the Aeolian Islands north of Sicily, Southern Italy and is the second largest island in the archipelago.

Dry salt curing required no fresh water, used abundant sea salt, preserved buds without refrigeration and intensified flavour rather than masking it.

Capers Preserved in Vinegar

Vinegar-preserved capers are widely available, especially outside Sicily and used very much in northern Italy. After salting, they are packed in wine or distilled vinegar.

Advantages:

  • Convenient and ready to use
  • Long shelf life
  • Bright acidity
  • Consistent flavour

The trade-off is that vinegar can dominate and obscure the caper’s more delicate floral and herbal notes. Salted capers are preferred when subtlety matters; vinegar-preserved capers suit dishes that benefit from extra sharpness.

Capers in Brine are very easy to use. These are ingredients for a quick sauce.
When Capers Dominate: Caponata

Capers are used extensively in Sicilian cooking. Caponata is an iconic Sicilian favourite that many who live outside Sicily would be familiar with .

A traditional Sicilian caponata balances fried eggplant, celery, olives and agrodolce. There are many types of caponate (plural) made with various vegetables. Two most common varieties are the Palermitana (as described above) and the Catanese, which also includes peppers. While caponata contains both green olives and capers, it is the salted capers that provide the structure. Their saline intensity cuts through oil and sweetness, anchoring the dish to coastal Sicily. In Western Sicily, cooks  increase the proportion of capers, shifting the dish from a gently sweet to a greater savoury profile. When I now make a caponata, I am using a greater amount of capers and am aware of the difference. With high-quality salted capers the flavour is unmistakably Sicilian.

Pesto di Capperi alla Siciliana

This pesto is simple to prepare and retains its flavour when kept in the refrigerator.

In this recipe, capers are not a background seasoning, but the defining flavour. Their salty, floral and slightly wild profile replaces basil. There are usually no set quantities in Sicilian recipes and everything is made by using eyes, taste and feel. Taste the pesto as you go and adjust to what you like.

Across western Sicily, capers are crushed with almonds, herbs and olive oil to create a textured paste with a distinctive flavour. This pesto celebrates salinity and aroma.

Spoon over grilled fish, toss through pasta, spread on bread or stir into boiled potatoes and beans.

Ingredients: adjust according to taste

  • 4–6 tbsp salted capers, rinsed and dried
  • 80 g blanched almonds
  • 2 small garlic clove
  • A handful of flat-leaf parsley
  • Some mint leaves (optional)
  • Zest of 1/2- 1 lemon
  • 8–12 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Method

Pesto in Sicily is traditionally made with a mortar  and pestle. I use a small food processor to make this. I carry it with me when I travel and it is with me in Adelaide at the moment.

  1. Rinse, soak and dry capers. Soak sufficiently as you do not want the pesto to be over salty.
  2. Crush garlic and almonds. Blend/pulse.
  3. Add capers and pound (grind) to a coarse paste.
  4. Work in herbs.
  5. Add olive oil gradually to achieve a rustic texture.
  6. Finish with pepper and some lemon zest.

Store in a glass jar. Cover with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil to help preserve the contents.

as mentioned above experiment and add more capers in Caponata:
CAPONATA FROM PALERMO (made with eggplants)

CAPONATA Catanese (from Catania) made easy with photos

CAPONATA of Potatoes (Recipe for Caponata di patate)

CAPPERI (Capers and caper bushes)

THE MANY VERSIONS OF CAPONATE and grilled food

 

PASTA CON LE SARDE (SARDINES)

VITELLO TONNATO MADE WITH GIRELLO (cut of meat)

YEARNING FOR VITELLO TONNATO

TUNNU `A STIMPIRATA; TONNO ALLA STEMPERATA (Tuna with onions, vinegar, capers and green olives)

SARSA DI CHIAPPAREDDI (King George Whiting presented with a sauce made with capers and anchovies)

Staples in my fridge; olives, capers, anchovies and nuts

EVERYTHING YOU SEE I OWE TO SPAGHETTI (A tribute to Sofia Loren, pasta alla puttanesca and pasta alla ciociara)

 

THE SUBTLE POWER OF VINEGAR: HOW ITALIANS BALANCE FLAVOUR

The subtle power of vinegar and how Italians balance flavour is something I appreciate in my own kitchen. Beyond acidity and preservation, vinegar brings balance, gives structure to a dish, and harmony in everyday cooking.Italian cuisine has always been attentive to relationships on the palate: fat is balanced with acidity, sweetness is moderated by bitterness and warm dishes are often refreshed with a sharp element. I often deglaze pans with vinegar. A small splash in a warm pan releases an aroma and sharpness that immediately awakens the senses.

Lemon brightens flavours and highlights bitterness, but vinegar behaves differently. It softens and steadies strong tastes, preventing them from becoming overpowering. Consequently, selecting the appropriate vinegar is a deliberate decision that is part of the cooking process.

In my pantry you will find several types of vinegar —  commercial red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, sherry vinegar and often homemade red wine vinegar. Over time I have learned to select each based on the dish’s requirements rather than habit. Understanding these differences is one of those small shifts that moves cooking from a mechanical to a thoughtful. process.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT VINEGAR

Red wine vinegar

Red wine vinegar is my preferred choice. Its consistent sharpness makes it a reliable ingredient for vinaigrettes, cooked vegetables, legume salads and the sweet-and-sour notes of agrodolce.

Its bold flavour is precisely its strength, allowing it to stand alongside robust ingredients without overpowering them.

White Wine Vinegar

White wine vinegar is lighter and less tannic than red wine vinegar, offering acidity without weight or colour. The acidity is expressed subtly.

I use it when working with tender leaves, fresh herbs, cucumber or zucchini and occasionally for deglazing fish or seafood when I prefer not to use wine. It is also suitable for some ceviche-style preparations, particularly for stronger-tasting fish, making it more suitable for lemon.

It also blends well into emulsified sauces such as mayonnaise or aioli, where lemon might otherwise dominate.

Sherry Vinegar

Sherry vinegar adds complexity rather than sharpness. A few drops are often sufficient.

I frequently drizzle it over simply roasted vegetables such as mushrooms, pumpkin, eggplant and beetroot, allowing their natural sweetness to complement its savoury depth. It is equally suitable for pan sauces for more strongly flavoured poultry such as duck or quail.

Sherry vinegar is the one I use when I want warmth rather than brightness.

Champagne Vinegar 

Champagne vinegar possesses a restrained acidity. It is a subtle taste that supports rather than dominates.

I use it for soft tasting ingredients like lettuces, dishes with delicate herbs such as tarragon or chervil and salads that include fruit, like oranges, peaches and pears, where excessive sharpness would disrupt the balance. Champagne vinegar preserves elegance rather than overwhelming it.

Understanding Balsamic Vinegar

 I am very careful with Balsamic vinegar and use it very sparingly because most varieties that are available are overly sweet and synthetic. Having tasted different batches of Balsamic Vinegar in Modena some years ago I  know what I should be tasting!

Proper Balsamic Vinegar is aged. As with much of Italian cooking, its depth is shaped more by time than by intervention. No additives.

The most revered style is traditional balsamic, produced in Modena or Reggio Emilia from slowly cooked grape must and aged in a succession of wooden barrels for at least twelve years, often far longer. As the seasons pass and the liquid gently concentrates, it becomes darker, denser, and quietly complex. Only a few drops are needed — on Parmigiano Reggiano, ripe strawberries, or a finished risotto — where it deepens rather than dominates. And it is very expensive so one is frugal.

Most bottles encountered today are Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP, is made from a blend of wine vinegar and grape must and matured for a shorter time. When well made, it is excellent to use in everyday cooking — vinaigrettes, used in agrodolce, or stirred through pan juices.

At the lower end, the type that is sold in supermarkets and labelled as Balsamic … and made in Italy…maturity is sometimes suggested rather than earned. Caramel for colour, thickeners for viscosity, and added sweetness offers quick roundness. Do the ingredients  listed mention grape must? Not likely. And how many additives are listed, and is the information correct?

For this reason, many Italian cooks keep two bottles — one for daily cooking, the other patiently aged, reserved for the final moment when a dish calls for depth and quiet resonance. And they are willing to pay for it .

Homemade Red Wine Vinegar 

Making homemade vinegar is a lesson in patience.

Its production is always slightly unpredictable, influenced by time, temperature and the vitality of its mother. When I am successful, in making it, the vinegar is softer and more layered than most commercial versions.

I treat it with the same respect as a high-quality extra virgin olive oil, often saving it for special salads or using it as a finishing touch, particularly with bitter leaves such as radicchio, chicory and endive.

When I have excess red wine left over, I begin another batch. Fermentation has its own schedule, and some jars take longer than anticipated. The waiting period becomes an integral part of the process.

For those who prefer not to make their own vinegar, a reputable delicatessen will often stock beautifully aged vinegars that are well worth purchasing.

RECIPE: A Traditional Method for Homemade Red Wine Vinegar

Rustic, reliable, and close to how vinegar is still produced in many homes across Italy and France.

Ingredients

  • 750 ml–1 litre red wine (avoid heavily sulphated wines)
  • 250–500 ml unpasteurised vinegar containing a live mother
  • 1 small piece of rustic bread

Equipment

  • Wide-mouth glass jar or crock
  • Breathable cloth or cheesecloth
  • Rubber band or string
  • Wooden spoon

Method

  1. Prepare the wine: Aim for an alcohol level of roughly 6–10%.
  1. Add the starter culture: Pour the wine into the container, add the live vinegar, and drop in the bread — traditionally used to provide nutrients and encourage microbial activity.
  1. Aerate and cover: Stir gently. Cover with cloth — oxygen is essential. Never seal airtight. When I have  used a crockpot I have also used a smaller lid to keep the mother down and then covered it with gauze. I have never had problems with vinegar flies, but maybe I am just lucky!

  1. Ferment: Store somewhere warm (18–27°C), dark, and undisturbed. Within 1–3 weeks, a gelatinous film — the mother — should form, and the aroma will shift from wine to tangy vinegar.
  1. Taste and monitor: Begin tasting after four weeks. Most batches take 4–8 weeks, sometimes longer.
  1. Finish: Remove the bread and bottle, or age further for deeper flavour. Always reserve some mother to start the next batch.

Practical Tips

  • Avoid metal lids touching the liquid.
  • Do not disturb the mother once formed.
  • Top up gradually with wine to create a continuous culture.
  • Discard if fuzzy mould appears; a smooth, jelly-like mother is normal.

Bitterness, Balance, and the Italian Table

Italian cuisine embraces bitterness — radicchio, chicory, scarola, and Belgian endive (witlof) are favourites in my kitchen.

Whether served raw or braised, vinegar is the quiet mediator that softens bitterness and creates equilibrium.

The following recipes reflect northern Italian traditions, where radicchio is celebrated.

A head of Firm Radicchio.

Here are a couple of recipes for radicchio.

Radicchio Agrodolce (Sweet–Sour Radicchio)

A classic example of bitterness balanced with acid and sweetness, widely associated with the Veneto region.

Firm Radicchio cut into wedges.

Ingredients

  • 2 heads radicchio, quartered
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small red or white sliced onion or spring onion
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar or honey (I often use 1 tbsp balsamic and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar instead)
  • Salt and black pepper

Optional: toasted or candied walnuts, pine nuts, raisins, or currants.

Method

  1. Heat olive oil in a wide pan.
  2. Sauté onion until soft and lightly sweet. If using spring onion sauté less (I overcooked mine)
  3. Add radicchio cut-side down and cook until lightly charred.
  4. Add vinegar and sweetener; toss gently.
  5. Cook for 2–3 minutes until slightly wilted but still structured.
  6. Season and serve warm.
Alternative Charred Version of Radicchio Agrodolce 

For a deeper flavour:

  1. Sear the wedges vigorously without moving them.
  2. Turn once.

  1. Deglaze with vinegar or a vinegar-balsamic mixture.
  2. Add a touch of honey and butter, basting the radicchio  on both sides in the pan until glossy or removing it before making the glaze.
Glaze for Cooked Radicchio.

Plating Tip: Serve wedges whole, slightly overlapped, with glaze spooned toward the core for visual structure.

Candied Walnuts (Perfect for Salads with bitter leaves)

Crisp, lightly glossy, and balanced — never overly sweet.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup walnut halves
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • About a small teaspoon of wine vinegar

Method

  1. Toast walnuts lightly in a dry pan until fragrant.
  2. Add fat, sugar, and salt. Once the begin to melt add the vinegar.
  3. Stir continuously until caramelised.
  4. Spread on baking paper and cool completely.
Radicchio Salad with Balsamic and Parmigiano

Another northern Italian classic — simple, structured, and refined.

Ingredients

  • Radicchio leaves, torn
  • Parmigiano Reggiano shavings
  • Toasted walnuts (optional)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Good-quality red wine vinegar, balsamic, or both
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Toss radicchio with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
  2. Add vinegar gradually, tasting until the balance feels right — acidity should support, not dominate.

Plating Suggestions

  • Use a large plate and leave some negative space.
  • Build height rather than spreading the salad flat.
  • Add contrasting textures such as shaved fennel, citrus segments, firm pears sliced, nuts and fried capers. I also use firm peaches or vanilla persimmons, although these are not traditional ingredients. However, cuisine evolves and even traditional cuisine changes.
  • Finish with a final gloss of olive oil and intentionally placed shaved Parmigiano.

These small decisions/ finishing touches elevate salads from rustic home cooking to quietly sophisticated.

Other Radicchio recipes:

LASAGNA /LASAGNE. RECIPE FOR LASAGNA AL RADICCHIO

RISOTTO made with Radicchio

RISOTTO AL RADICCHIO ROSSO

COOKED RADICCHIO

Pan fried radicchio with pickled pears, walnuts, beetroot and gorgonzola

BIGOLI NOBILI (Bigoli pasta with red radicchio, borlotti and pork sausages)

Agro Dolce:

TONNO AL AGRO DOLCE; Sweet and sour tuna, Sicilian; ALBACORE TUNA

PEPERONATA(SICILIAN SWEET AND SOUR PEPPERS)

Sweet and Sour Peppers.

THE MANY VERSIONS OF CAPONATE and grilled food

Eggplant caponata.
Sweet and Sour Pumpkin.

Sicilian Pumpkin with vinegar, mint, sugar and cinnamon

ACETO DI VINO FATTO IN CASA (Home Made Wine Vinegar)

PALERMO, SICILY AND PEELING BACK THE LAYERS

Palermo is often described as chaotic, beautiful and a contradictory city — but to understand it properly, you have to peel it back, layer by layer because Sicily’s capital is not a city that reveals itself at first glance.

Like the island itself, Palermo rewards return visits, slow observation and curiosity. This process for discovering Palermo is a concept I explored many years ago in a travel competition article, Palermo and Sicily… Peeling back the onion. 

Palermo’s strength lies in its depth. Each visit reveals a new layer—political, architectural, culinary or personal.

Palermo’s impressive Cathedral.

This post summarises some of Palermo’s cultural and historic attractions and aims to inspire travel to this impressive city.

Hand painted Sicilian horse cart.

I was particularly impressed by the grand historic buildings and luxurious Liberty-style villas and apartments, especially on the outskirts of Palermo. I was also struck by the contrast of accommodation often from street to street. However, do not be deceived by the exterior of some buildings. For instance, I once stayed in an apartment in the centre of Palermo that was unremarkable on the outside but had been tastefully renovated on the inside with modern conveniences, fresco-painted ceilings and antique furniture. The couple who owned it lived in a separate part of the large apartment.

Some residential housing.

Reading the post on Palermo and Sicily has prompted me to revisit the city. Reviewing my photographs has reinforced this desire.

Palermo – Teatro Massimo

Palermo as a capital, not a curiosity

For centuries, Palermo was not a provincial outpost but a Mediterranean capital. Under Roger II of Sicily, it became the seat of power of the Norman Kingdom of Sicily — governed from the Palazzo dei Normanni.

Palermo- Palazzo dei Normanni.

This was a court where Arab administrators, Greek scholars and Latin clergy worked side by side, leaving behind an architectural and cultural legacy unlike anywhere else in Europe

Where cultures overlap

The layered nature of Palermo is visible everywhere. Byzantine mosaics glow above Islamic wooden ceilings in the Cappella Palatina. Norman churches wear Arab domes. Baroque façades frame medieval streets.

Nothing here is erased. Everything is added.

This is why Palermo feels so different from cities that present history in neat, separated chapters.

Palermo – The Church of San Cataldo, an example of the wonderful Arabian-Norman architecture with its characteristic red domes is situated next to Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio (also called La Martorana) is from the mid 12th century.
Markets as living archaeology

To understand Palermo at street level, you go to the markets.

In Ballarò Market and La Vucciria, the city’s Arab past survives not in monuments but in sound, rhythm and ritual.

Traders shout in Sicilian dialect. Fish is displayed under red awnings. Scents of fried street food and roasted peppers are in the air.

It is much more than nostalgia — it’s continuity.

Food as a record of history

Palermo’s food tells the same layered story.

The “traditional dishes” are edible evidence of Arab, Norman and Mediterranean exchanges. Sweet meets savoury. Fish replaces meat. Breadcrumbs stand in for cheese.

Antica Focacceria San Francesco is a historic eatery located in the heart of the city, opposite the church of St Francis of Assisi. It offers some of Sicily’s most iconic, authentic Palermo street food  in a historic setting.

Even today, contemporary chefs reinterpret these dishes rather than abandon them, another example of Palermo adding layers rather than stripping them away. This trend is also evident among younger Sicilians who, like the rest of us, have greater access to media and modern and international cuisine.

Escaping the centre, without leaving the city

Peeling back another layer means leaving the historic quarters without leaving Palermo.

Liberty-style villas, gardens like Villa Giulia, or a bus ride to Mondello or Monreale reveal a softer, lighter side of the city — still unmistakably Sicilian, still deeply connected to food, leisure and the sea.

Close to Palermo is Mondello.

**For a deeper exploration of Palermo and Sicily through memory, history and return visits, you can read my longer composition:

Palermo and Sicily … peeling the onion

Related:

PANELLE, PALERMO STREET FOOD-Chick pea fritters and the Antica Focacceria San Francesco

PALERMO -18 Secrets of Sicily Revealed by Top Travel Bloggers

THE CHARLESTON Restaurant in Mondello (near Palermo)

SICILIAN MARKETS; use of every part of the animal

SFINCIONE DI PALERMO (A pizza/focaccia type pie)

CECI (CHICKPEAS) IN SICILIA: Cucina Povera

Chickpeas — ceci, or cìciri in Sicilian — have been part of Sicily’s cucina povera’s cooking for centuries. Quiet, sustaining, and deeply rooted in the land, they belong to a cuisine of continuity rather than elaborate dishes.

Ancient Roots

Archaeological and botanical evidence places chickpeas among the earliest cultivated legumes of the eastern Mediterranean. When the Greeks settled Sicily from the 8th century BCE, they embedded ceci into an agricultural pattern based on cereals, legumes, olive oil, and wild greens — a pattern still visible in Sicily’s most subtle dishes.

During the Arab period (9th–11th centuries), chickpeas became even more central. Improved irrigation, crop rotation, and dry-farming techniques made legumes reliable in Sicily’s arid interior. Just as important was a shared culinary philosophy: slow cooking, few aromatics, and respect for the ingredient’s natural flavour and nourishment.

By the Middle Ages, ceci were firmly rooted in inland rural diets, where wheat and legumes formed the backbone of daily sustenance.

In later medieval history, ceci (chickpeas) took on an unexpectedly political role in Sicily. On Easter Monday, 30 March 1282, as crowds gathered in Palermo for Vespers, long-standing resentment against the rule of Charles I of Anjou erupted into open rebellion. According to tradition, the French were identified by their inability to pronounce the Sicilian word for chickpeas without a lisp. What began as a small incident became the spark for the Sicilian Vespers uprising, turning a humble legume into a linguistic marker of resistance and identity.

A Food of Continuity, Not A SHOWPIECE

Sicilian chickpea dishes are understated by design. They reflect cucina povera — not deprivation, but shaped by climate, season, and scarcity. Chickpeas often replaced meat, providing sustenance for households for several days.

On 13 December, the feast of Santa Lucia, chickpeas take on special meaning in Sicily, particularly in Palermo. According to tradition, during a medieval famine a ship carrying grain and chickpeas arrived in the port after prayers to the saint. Too hungry to wait for flour to be milled, people boiled the grains and legumes and ate them whole.

In gratitude, Palermitans vowed to avoid flour on Santa Lucia’s day. Chickpeas — eaten simply or included in cuccìa (dish traditionally made with boiled wheat berries, often mixed with chickpeas). It remain a tradition, a symbol of survival, humility, and collective memory rather than celebration.

Santa Christina Cathedral Palermo.

Growing and Harvesting

In Sicily, chickpeas are usually sown in late winter or spring and harvested in summer. The plants are left until the pods dry on the stalk, ensuring a dependable winter staple.

Before drying, some chickpeas were eaten fresh — a fleeting seasonal pleasure.

A Note on Fresh (Green) Chickpeas — Ceci Freschi

Before drying, chickpeas were sometimes eaten fresh. Harvested in late spring or early summer, they are pale green, faintly sweet, and closer to fresh peas in texture. Their shelf life is short — less than a week — and they are best cooked simply, as for ceci in umido (recipe below), or eaten straight from the pod while harvesting in the fields.

A fresh chickpea( ceci) plant with pods containing green chickpeas.

Their brief season reflects an agricultural rhythm that shaped Sicilian cooking for centuries: some foods were enjoyed only when the land allowed it.

How Chickpeas Are Traditionally Eaten in Sicily

1. Ceci con Erbe Spontanee (Chickpeas with Wild Greens)

A classic countryside pairing. Chickpeas cook gently while seasonal greens are added toward the end: Wild fennel, Wild Chicory, Dandelion, Borage.

Wild fennel sold in bunches.

Finished simply with olive oil — sometimes a squeeze of lemon.

2. Minestra di Ceci (Chickpea Soup)

Common in mountainous areas, monasteries, and farming households. These soups were cooked in large quantities and eaten over several days — practical, sustaining, and deeply comforting. Chickpeas simmer in their broth and are often poured over bread placed directly in the bowl. Sometimes broken spaghetti is added. Always finished with olive oil and rather than chilli, black ground black pepper.

3. Panelle

Palermo’s iconic street food: chickpea flour cooked with water and salt, spread into thin sheets, cut into small rectangles or squares, and fried until crisp. Simple, addictive, and unmistakably Sicilian.

4. Ceci in Umido (Stewed Chickpeas)

A dish shaped by restraint. Tomato — a later arrival — is used sparingly or omitted altogether inland. Onion softens slowly in olive oil, garlic perfumes briefly, and chickpeas do most of the work.

RECIPES

I research traditional Sicilian sources, and the most reliable versions of recipes I have found in my books is from Pino Correnti’s Il Libro d’Oro della Cucina e dei Vini di Sicilia. As with many Italian recipes, they are simple and written without measurements.

These dishes belong to an older culinary world, predating tomatoes. They are the kind of sustaining soups that fed farmers, monks, and households through winter.

I include two traditional recipes detailed, more modern Sicilian recipes for chickpeas that are more suited to contemporary cooks:

* Ceci in Umido (Sicilian Stewed Chickpeas)

* Minestra di Ceci (Sicilian Chickpea Soup)

 

Ciciri ca Pasta a Catanisa
Chickpeas with Pasta, Catania Style

An eastern Sicilian variation, even simpler, is pasta with chickpeas alla catanese. The chickpeas are cooked together with onion and, in the same cooking water, broken spaghetti is added and boiled. The dish is dressed simply with raw olive oil and freshly ground black pepper or chilli.

Ciciri ca Pasta Saccense
Chickpeas with Pasta from Sciacca

The version from the area between Sciacca and Agrigento is simpler. It uses cooked chickpeas mixed with about half a kilo of wild fennel, two cloves of garlic, and tagghiarini made fresh — small lasagne-style strips of dough rolled out by hand on the board just before cooking.

Facade of a building in Sciacca.

*Ceci in Umido (Sicilian Stewed Chickpeas)

A humble but deeply satisfying dish, served as a light main or contorno.

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 300 g dried chickpeas
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1–2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
  • 3–4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus more to finish)
  • 2 tbsp tomato passata or 1 tbsp tomato paste diluted with water
  • 1 bay leaf or a small sprig of oregano
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Water or light vegetable broth or stock

Method

Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain and rinse.

Cover the chickpeas in fresh water and simmer until tender (40–50minutes). Reserve liquid.

Cook onion slowly in olive oil until soft, never coloured.

Add garlic briefly, then tomato and aromatics. Cook gently.

Add chickpeas with enough liquid to cover. Simmer until the sauce thickens naturally.

Finish with black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin, fragrant olive oil.

Regional notes

  • In central Sicily (Enna, Caltanissetta), tomato is often omitted altogether.
  • It is eaten with bread — bread here is the accompaniment.
  • This is a dish that reflects Arab influence not through spice, but through method: slow cooking, minimal intervention, and respect for the legume itself.
*Minestra di Ceci (Sicilian Chickpea Soup)

Cucina povera at its purest — chickpeas, aromatics, olive oil, and patience.

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 300 g dried chickpeas
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 1 celery stalk, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3–4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus more to finish)
  • 1 bay leaf or wild fennel stems
  • Salt and black pepper

Optional: potato cubes or greens. In Melbourne, I am unable to purchase wild greens but can buy seasonal vegetables such as chicory, beets/chard and spinach.

Method

Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain and rinse.

Cover the chickpeas in fresh water and simmer until tender (40–50minutes).

Reserve liquid.

Gently cook onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil until soft. Add garlic briefly, then chickpeas and liquid.

Simmer uncovered 15-20 mins, crushing a few chickpeas to thicken.

Add potatoes or greens if using.

Rest, season, and finish with raw olive oil.

Present the soup with: With crusty bread or garlic-rubbed toast or topped with wild fennel fronds

The soup is better the next day — flavours deepen with time.

Chickpeas (ceci),I almost always have jars in my freezer.

OTHER RECIPES

CHICKPEAS and simple food

MUSSELS WITH CHICKPEAS

PANELLE, PALERMO STREET FOOD-Chick pea fritters and the Antica Focacceria San Francesco

CHICKPEAS SOUP WITH WILD FENNEL (Minestra di ceci con finocchio, erba selvatica)

VESPERS and a celebration of chickpeas in BACCALÀ CON CECI alla fiorentina (Salt Cod with Chickpeas as cooked in Florence)

PASTA con cavolofiore, salsicce di maiale e ceci (pasta with cauliflower, pork sausages and chickpeas)

ITALIAN NEW YEAR’S LENTILS (Lenticchie di Capodanno)

In Italy, lentils (lenticchie) are particularly eaten on New Year’s Eve (Capodanno) as they are one of the most enduring symbols of good luck, prosperity and abundance. As the old year concludes and the new one begins, bowls of lentils are placed on tables across the country, consumed with the hopeful belief that they will bring financial security and good fortune in the months ahead.

If you believe in tradition, eat them before midnight and make a wish for the year ahead.

Brown lentils (also known as green lentils) are followed by Puy (also known as French lentils) and a smaller variety of brown lentils.
The Symbolism of Lentils

The symbolism is ancient. Lentils’ small, round, coin-like shape has long been associated with money and wealth. This idea dates back to Roman times, when lentils were exchanged at the turn of the year in the hope they would transform into coins. Over centuries, this belief became embedded in Italian food culture, turning lentils into an essential New Year ritual rather than an everyday superstition. Some traditions even claim that the more lentils you eat, the greater your prosperity will be.

Traditional Pairings

Lentils are commonly paired with rich pork dishes such as cotechino or zampone but are equally satisfying when prepared on their own or with vegetables, herbs and olive oil. They can be served warm and garnished as a salad. These gently braised lentils are rich, comforting and symbolic, a dish to welcome prosperity in the coming year without being heavy. I have included a traditional and cultural recipe for lentils with cotechino on my blog.

 I also enjoy braising good quality pork sausages with lentils. I am particularly fond of both of these dishes but it is also suitable for a warm Australian evening or as a salad for a barbecue. It can be eaten warm at room temperature or even the following day. In fact, like most lentil dishes, it improves with time.

This dish is more commonly associated with the north of Italy, but as we know, food habits change. Recipes travel. Traditions adapt. Just as panettone has become a Christmas fixture in Australia, lentils have found their way onto many New Year tables well beyond Italy. Lentils are traditionally eaten at the turn of the year because their coin-like shape symbolises wealth and abundance. This simple preparation allows their meaning — and flavour — to shine, making it a perfect dish to usher in the New Year with intention, restraint, and hope.

Lentils as an accompaniment to stuffed artichokes.
Customising and Enjoying Your Lenticchie di Capodanno

I have always prepared lentils in this manner, so I have never considered writing a recipe. For those who prefer Indian or Middle Eastern flavours, it is simple to omit the bay, rosemary and thyme and add Indian or Middle Eastern spices.

The cooking method will look familiar. Onion, carrot, and celery make their inevitable appearance — the Italian usual suspects. This soffritto forms the base of countless soups, braises, and stews, and it works just as well here.

You can easily adjust quantities. Add more lentils if you like leftovers (and you should). They reheat beautifully, and with a little extra liquid can even be turned into soup the next day — particularly welcome if you are living somewhere cooler than I am.

Serve warm or at room temperature or as a salad with a few additional simple ingredients.

And do appreciate the leftovers. The flavours deepen over the next few days. Very good eating indeed.

Italian New Year’s Lentils with Olive Oil, Garlic & Herbs

(Lenticchie di Capodanno all’Olio d’Oliva)

INGREDIENTS

4–6 as a side or light main

  • 250 g dried lentils (Green lentils or Puy lentils)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 1 celery stalk, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
  • 2–3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish
  • 1 bay leaf
  • A small sprig of rosemary or thyme
  • Vegetable stock or water (as needed)
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Rinse the lentils thoroughly. If using high-quality small lentils, soaking is not necessary.

In a wide saucepan, warm the olive oil over gentle heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook slowly until soft and fragrant, without browning.

Stir in the lentils, bay leaf, and herbs. Coat well in the aromatic base.

Add enough stock or water to cover the lentils by about 3 cm. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook uncovered for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape. Add more liquid if needed.

Season with salt and pepper towards the end of cooking. Remove the bay leaf and herb sprigs.

Serving Suggestions and Tips

Serve warm in a shallow bowl, make it glistening with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

For a salad add a little lemon zest, lemon juice or wine vinegar and for brightness finely chopped parsley.

Pair with sautéed greens, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread.

Roasted vegetables such as pumpkin, carrots and potatoes can be added to lentils for a hot or cold dish.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Flavours improve overnight.

Add left over vegetables to lentil salads.

COTECHINO AND LENTILS; NEW YEAR’s EVE and CHRISTMAS

Lentils with Cotechino

Pasta con le Sarde: A Simple recipe for a Sicilian Classic

Pasta con le Sarde is one of Sicily’s most iconic dishes, a simple yet deeply expressive recipe that brings together sardines, fennel, and ingredients that reflect the island’s long and layered history.

**On my blog, there are numerous recipes for Pasta con le Sarde written over many years with many photographs and va. However, I have created a simpler recipe for those who prefer a quicker cooking method during the often busy Christmas season. I had also prepared this recipe for the SBS Italian radio session but there was no time to discuss it. (I always over prepare!) The Italian link to the recipe:PASTA CON LE SARDE, RICETTA SEMPLICE

Sardines are plentiful in Sicilian waters, wild fennel grows freely when in season, and flavours such as pine nuts, currants, and saffron speak clearly of the Arab influence that shaped so much of Sicilian cooking. The finishing touch, muddica atturrata — toasted breadcrumbs — replaces cheese and is unmistakably Sicilian.

I will most likely consider Pasta con le Sarde for the Festive Christmas period.

A Dish Rooted in Sicilian Tradition

This is a dish born of necessity and ingenuity. In Sicily, pasta is eaten almost daily, and pasta con le sarde has long been a way to transform humble, accessible ingredients into something memorable.

When wild fennel is unavailable, cultivated fennel works well. I use the bulb, the fronds, and sometimes a small amount of fennel seed to echo the aroma of the wild plant. Wild fennel is seasonal and in Sicily it is sold in bunches in markets. Sicilians would respect the seasonality of wild fennel and probably cook Pasta con le Sarde  in the right seasons.

Bucatini is my preferred pasta shape, but spaghetti is equally suitable.

Bucatini con Sarde
Ingredients

  • 500 g bucatini, preferred traditional pasta

  • 700 g fresh sardines, cleaned and filleted

  • 200 g wild fennel
    (or 2 large fennel bulb with fronds + 1 tsp fennel seeds)

  • Approximately 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 onions, finely sliced

  • 4 anchovy fillets

  • 1 cup pine nuts

  • 1 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped (optional)

  • ¾ cup currants

  • ½–1 tsp saffron

  • Salt and black pepper

  • ***4–5 tbsp breadcrumbs, toasted in a frypan with little extra virgin oil. I like to add a pinch of sugar and cinnamon while it is toasting and some finely grated lemon peel.

Method (Simple)
1. Cook the fennel

Boil the wild fennel in salted water for 10–15 minutes.
Reserve the fragrant green cooking water for the pasta.
Drain, squeeze well, and finely chop.

If using cultivated fennel:
Cut the bulb into quarters and boil with the fennel seeds. Save the fronds for later. If there are fennel stalks boil them as well to flavour the water.  Remove the stalks and seeds (drain), chop the fennel, and reserve the water to cook the pasta.

2. Prepare the sauce

In a wide pan, gently cook the onions in the olive oil until soft and golden.

Add the anchovy fillets and stir until they dissolve,
then the pine nuts, currants, and almonds (if using).

Add two-thirds of the sardines, roughly chopped, along with salt, pepper, and some fennel fronds (or a little of the chopped fennel).
Cook gently for 5–10 minutes.

Stir in the cooked fennel and saffron dissolved in a little warm water.

3. Cook the pasta

Cook the bucatini in the reserved fennel water until al dente.
Drain well.

4. Cook the remaining sardines

In a separate pan, lightly fry the remaining sardine fillets.
Set aside for finishing the dish.

5. Assemble

Add the pasta to the sardine sauce and toss gently.
Allow it to rest for 5–10 minutes so the flavours can meld.

Carefully fold in the whole sardine fillets.
Serve topped generously with muddica atturrata.

I did not blanch the almonds in this version of Pasta con Le Sarde. I do not always blanch nuts or toast them to remove their skins.
6. IF YOU WISH TO MAKE THE BAKED VERSION

Grease an oven dish and dust with toasted breadcrumbs.
Layer pasta and sauce, adding a few whole sardines between layers.
Finish with breadcrumbs, a drizzle of olive oil, and optionally a pinch of sugar and cinnamon.

Bake at 200°C for about 10 minutes, until a light crust forms.

SOME OF THE NUMEROUS RECIPES ON MY BLOG

A TASTE OF PALERMO: Pasta con le Sarde

PASTA CON LE SARDE (SARDINES)

PASTA CON LE SARDE, Iconic Sicilian made easy

WILD FENNEL and photos

Recipe in my book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking

PASTA CON LE SARDE, an iconic Sicilian recipe from Palermo. Cooked at Slow Food Festival Melbourne

PASTA CON LE SARDE (Pasta with sardines, from Palermo, made with fennel, pine nuts and currants)

PASTA CON SARDE : the baked version, Palermo, Sicily

MY FAMILY FEAST SBS ONE, my recipes have been selected

WILD FENNEL and photos

PASTA CON LE SARDE, RICETTA SEMPLICE

La Pasta con le Sarde è uno dei piatti più iconici della Sicilia: una ricetta semplice ma profondamente espressiva, che unisce le sarde al finocchio e a ingredienti che raccontano la storia lunga e stratificata dell’isola.

****Sul mio blog ci sono numerose versioni della Pasta con le Sarde, scritte nel corso di molti anni, accompagnate da tante fotografie e varianti. Tuttavia, ho creato questa versione più semplice per chi preferisce un metodo di preparazione più rapido, (forse preferito in Australia e altri in diverse parti nel mondo), soprattutto nel periodo natalizio, spesso molto intenso. Avevo preparato questa ricetta anche per una sessione radiofonica su SBS Italian, ma non c’è stato tempo per parlarne (come sempre, preparo troppo!).

Le sarde sono abbondanti nei mari siciliani, il finocchietto selvatico cresce spontaneamente quando è di stagione, e sapori come pinoli, uvetta e zafferano parlano chiaramente dell’influenza araba che ha segnato profondamente la cucina siciliana. Il tocco finale, la muddica atturrata – pangrattato tostato – sostituisce il formaggio ed è inconfondibilmente siciliano.

Molto probabilmente prenderò in considerazione la Pasta con le Sarde anche per il periodo delle feste natalizie.

Un piatto radicato nella tradizione siciliana

Questo è un piatto nato dalla necessità e dall’ingegno. In Sicilia la pasta si consuma quasi ogni giorno, e la pasta con le sarde è da sempre un modo per trasformare ingredienti umili e facilmente reperibili in qualcosa di memorabile.

Quando il finocchietto selvatico non è disponibile, quello coltivato funziona molto bene. Io utilizzo il bulbo, le barbe e talvolta una piccola quantità di semi di finocchio per richiamare l’aroma della pianta selvatica. Il finocchietto selvatico è stagionale e in Sicilia viene venduto a mazzi nei mercati. I siciliani rispettano la

Pasta con le Sarde,

stagionalità del finocchietto e tradizionalmente cucinano la Pasta con le Sarde solo nel periodo giusto.

Il bucatino è il formato di pasta che preferisco, ma anche gli spaghetti sono perfettamente adatti.

Pasta con Sarde

Bucatini con le Sarde

INGREDIENTI

  • 500 g di bucatini (formato tradizionale preferito)
  • 700 g di sarde fresche, pulite e sfilettate
  • 200 g di finocchietto selvatico
    (oppure 2 grossi finocchi con le barbe + 1 cucchiaino di semi di finocchio)
  • Circa ¾ di tazza di olio extravergine d’oliva
  • 2 cipolle, affettate finemente
  • 4 filetti di acciuga
  • 1 tazza di pinoli
  • 1 tazza di mandorle tostate, grossolanamente tritate (facoltative)
  • ¾ di tazza di uvetta
  • ½–1 cucchiaino di zafferano
  • Sale e pepe nero

Muddica atturrata:

  • 4–5 cucchiai di pangrattato, tostato in padella con poco olio extravergine.
    Mi piace aggiungere un pizzico di zucchero e cannella durante la tostatura, e un po’ di scorza di limone finemente grattugiata.

METODO (VERSIONE SEMPLICE)

  1. CUOCERE IL FINOCCHIO

Lessare il finocchietto selvatico in acqua salata per 10–15 minuti.
Conservare l’acqua di cottura, profumata e verde, per cuocere la pasta.
Scolare, strizzare bene e tritare finemente.

Se si usa il finocchio coltivato:
Tagliare il bulbo in quarti e lessarlo insieme ai semi di finocchio. Tenere da parte le barbe per dopo. Se presenti, bollire anche i gambi per aromatizzare l’acqua. Eliminare gambi e semi, scolare, tritare il finocchio e conservare l’acqua per la pasta.

  1. PREPARARE IL CONDIMENTO

In una padella capiente, cuocere dolcemente le cipolle nell’olio fino a renderle morbide e dorate.

Aggiungere i filetti di acciuga e mescolare finché si sciolgono, quindi unire pinoli, uvetta e mandorle (se utilizzate).

Aggiungere circa due terzi delle sarde, tritate grossolanamente, salare e pepare, e incorporare alcune barbe di finocchio (o un po’ del finocchio tritato).
Cuocere dolcemente per 5–10 minuti.

Unire il finocchio cotto e lo zafferano sciolto in poca acqua tiepida.

  1. CUOCERE LA PASTA

Cuocere i bucatini nell’acqua di cottura del finocchio fino a quando sono al dente.
Scolare bene.

  1. CUOCERE LE SARDE RIMANENTI

In una padella a parte, friggere leggermente i filetti di sarda rimasti.
Tenere da parte per la fase finale.

  1. ASSEMBLARE IL PIATTO

Unire la pasta al condimento di sarde e mescolare delicatamente.
Lasciare riposare per 5–10 minuti affinché i sapori si amalgamino.

Incorporare con delicatezza i filetti di sarda interi.
Servire con abbondante muddica atturrata.

In questa versione della Pasta con le Sarde non ho sbollentato le mandorle. Non sempre elimino la pellicina della frutta secca né la tosto.

  1. VERSIONE AL FORNO (FACOLTATIVA)

Ungere una pirofila e spolverarla con pangrattato tostato.
Disporre a strati la pasta e il condimento, inserendo qualche filetto di sarda intero tra uno strato e l’altro.

Completare con pangrattato, un filo d’olio e, a piacere, un pizzico di zucchero e cannella.

Cuocere in forno a 200°C per circa 10 minuti, fino a ottenere una leggera crosticina.

A TASTE OF PALERMO: Pasta con le Sarde

PASTA CON LE SARDE (SARDINES)

PASTA CON LE SARDE, Iconic Sicilian made easy

WILD FENNEL and photos

Recipe in my book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking

PASTA CON LE SARDE, an iconic Sicilian recipe from Palermo. Cooked at Slow Food Festival Melbourne

PASTA CON LE SARDE (Pasta with sardines, from Palermo, made with fennel, pine nuts and currants)

PASTA CON SARDE : the baked version, Palermo, Sicily

MY FAMILY FEAST SBS ONE, my recipes have been selected

WILD FENNEL and photos

QUADRUCCI IN BRODO – QUADRETTI DI PASTA FATTA IN CASA NEL BRODO

Quadrucci in Brodo sono uno di quei piatti di pasta fatta in casa nel brodo che per me raccontano il Natale meglio di qualsiasi menu elaborato.

Spesso mi viene chiesto cosa cucinerò per la Vigilia o per il Giorno di Natale. La verità è che non lo so sempre in anticipo. Quello che so è che, seguendo la tradizione italiana, la Vigilia è dedicata al pesce, mentre il pranzo di Natale è l’occasione per preparare qualcosa di speciale — spesso un piatto che non cucino molto spesso.

Quadrucci in Brodo is a light, yet elegant Italian Puglise dish of handmade pasta squares cooked in clear broth. A timeless first course rooted in tradition and simplicity that could be suitable during the Christmas celebration.

I had prepared this recipe in Italian case I was asked about Christmas dinner on SBS Italian radio, but we ran out of time.*** SEE RECIPE IN ENGLISH: QUADRUCCI IN BRODO, Squares of home-made Pasta in Broth

Negli anni passati ho preparato pasta con i ricci di mare, pasta con la bottarga o con le seppie al nero, oppure piatti a base di astice o granchio. (Trovate i link di queste ricette in fondo al post.)

Nella mia famiglia, però, una cosa era costante: il brodo. Dopo una Vigilia abbondante, il pranzo di Natale era più leggero, e un brodo chiaro e nutriente era l’inizio ideale.

COME HO SCOPERTO I QUADRUCCI IN BRODO

Ho scoperto i Quadrucci in Brodo nel 1984, con la pubblicazione del libro The Taste of Italy di Giuliano Bugialli. Bugialli chiama questa pasta quadrucci — piccoli quadrati. Quadro, in italiano, significa semplicemente quadrato.

Nella sua ricetta, Bugialli suggerisce di preparare il brodo con carne e ossa di tacchino. In questa occasione, però, avevo in freezer un brodo di anatra molto saporito, preparato con la carcassa dopo aver utilizzato petto e cosce per un altro piatto. È stato perfetto — ma qualsiasi buon brodo intenso va benissimo.

Bugialli definisce questo piatto come rappresentativo della Puglia, anche se lui era fiorentino. Come spesso accade nella cucina italiana, piatti semplici come questo superano i confini regionali.

PREPARARE I QUADRUCCI IN CASA

Eravamo solo in tre a mangiare i quadrucci, quindi ho preparato una piccola quantità di pasta. Ho usato il mattarello invece della macchina per la pasta — avevo fretta e non volevo altro da lavare.

La sfoglia è stata tirata molto sottile, poi ho disposto sopra foglie intere di prezzemolo. La pasta è stata piegata, stesa di nuovo e infine tagliata in piccoli quadrati.

Una volta cotti nel brodo, i quadrucci sono molto decorativi: i quadratini di pasta con il prezzemolo visibile all’interno ricordano un ricamo. Un piatto semplice, ma di grande eleganza.

UN TOCCO DI NATALE AUSTRALIANO

Dato che gli asparagi erano di stagione, ne ho aggiunti alcuni al brodo per dare al piatto una sensazione più leggera e estiva — perfetta per un Natale australiano. Il risultato è stato equilibrato, senza togliere importanza al brodo e alla pasta fatta in casa.

In questo post ho incluso sia la mia versione sia l’approccio originale di Bugialli, così potrete adattare il piatto alla vostra cucina, alla stagione e alla vostra tavola natalizia.

Asparagi nel brodo

A volte, i piatti di Natale più memorabili non sono i più elaborati, ma quelli che raccontano tradizione, semplicità e cura.

COSA HO FATTO

Un buon brodo di carne, sgrassato in superficie e filtrato eliminando i solidi con un colino a maglia fine.

Rametti di prezzemolo italiano (ho provato anche alcune foglie di basilico).

Pasta fatta in casa
1 uovo grande ogni 100 g di farina di grano duro o farina forte (non sbiancata, adatta al pane, ad alto contenuto proteico) è sufficiente per 3 persone. Raddoppiare o triplicare le dosi secondo necessità.

I Quadrucci prima della cucitura della pasta performare il bordo

Setacciare la farina e disporla in una ciotola capiente o direttamente sul piano di lavoro, a seconda delle abitudini.

Formare una fontana al centro e aggiungere l’uovo e un pizzico di sale.

Iniziare a impastare con le dita, incorporando gradualmente la farina dai bordi verso il centro. Lavorare bene l’impasto; a questo punto potrebbe essere necessario aggiungere un po’ di farina se l’impasto è troppo umido, oppure pochissima acqua se è troppo asciutto. Questo dipende dalla dimensione delle uova e dall’assorbimento della farina. Continuare a lavorare fino a ottenere un impasto elastico.

Formare una palla, coprirla (con un canovaccio o pellicola) e lasciarla riposare per circa un’ora.

Con il mattarello (oppure con la macchina per la pasta, soprattutto se si preparano quantità maggiori), stendere la pasta molto sottile.

Disporre foglie intere di prezzemolo su metà della sfoglia. Ripiegare l’altra metà sopra il prezzemolo e premere bene per sigillare gli strati.

Stendere nuovamente la pasta fino a renderla molto sottile: le foglie di prezzemolo saranno visibili attraverso la sfoglia, “incastonate” al centro come un ricamo. Per alcuni quadrati ho utilizzato anche foglie di basilico.

Con un poco di pazienza i quadrucci risultano belli

Tagliare la pasta in quadrati (come dei ravioli). Non è necessario che siano tutti uguali; rifilare le parti irregolari.

Portare il brodo a ebollizione e aggiungere i quadrati di pasta. Cuocere per 1–3 minuti: saliranno in superficie quando saranno pronti.

Dopo aver aggiunto la pasta al brodo, ho unito anche gli asparagi. Gli ingredienti cuociono in pochissimo tempo.

Questa è la mia versione del piatto.

LA RICETTA DEI QUADRUCCI IN BRODO DI BUGIALLI

PER IL BRODO

900 g di carne di tacchino scura, con le ossa
1 cipolla rossa media, sbucciata
1 costa di sedano
1 carota media, raschiata
1 spicchio d’aglio medio, sbucciato ma lasciato intero
1 pomodorino
4 rametti di prezzemolo italiano
3 albumi d’uovo grandi
sale grosso

PER LA PASTA

40 g di Parmigiano grattugiato fresco
5 uova
un pizzico di sale
6 macinate di pepe nero
450 g di farina 00 (farina comune)
30 rametti di prezzemolo a foglia piatta, solo le foglie

PREPARAZIONE DEL BRODO

Mettere in una pentola capiente il tacchino, il sale grosso a piacere, la cipolla intera, il sedano, la carota, l’aglio, il pomodorino e il prezzemolo. Coprire con acqua fredda e portare sul fuoco medio, senza coperchio. Lasciar sobbollire per 2 ore, eliminando la schiuma che si forma in superficie.

Togliere la carne dalla pentola e conservarla per un altro utilizzo. Filtrare il brodo attraverso un colino fine in una ciotola capiente, eliminando verdure e impurità. Lasciar raffreddare, quindi riporre in frigorifero per tutta la notte, in modo che il grasso affiori e solidifichi.

Rimuovere il grasso solidificato con una spatola di metallo, quindi chiarificare il brodo. Versare 4 cucchiai di brodo in una ciotolina e mescolarli con gli albumi. Unire il composto al resto del brodo freddo e mescolare energicamente con una frusta. Trasferire il brodo in una pentola e portarlo lentamente al limite dell’ebollizione, semi coperto. Lasciar sobbollire per circa 10 minuti, finché gli albumi salgono in superficie insieme alle impurità e il brodo diventa limpido.

Nel frattempo, mettere un canovaccio di cotone pulito e bagnato nel freezer per 5 minuti. Stenderlo poi su un colapasta e filtrare il brodo attraverso il panno per una chiarificazione finale. Il brodo deve risultare assolutamente limpido.

PREPARAZIONE DELLA PASTA

Preparare la pasta con gli ingredienti indicati, mettendo il Parmigiano grattugiato, il sale, il pepe e le uova nella fontana di farina. Con molta pazienza, incorporare gradualmente le uova nella farina fino a ottenere un impasto compatto. Formare una palla e lasciarla riposare coperta da un canovaccio o avvolta nella pellicola.

Stendere la pasta il più sottile possibile, a mano o con la macchina per la pasta. Disporre le foglie intere di prezzemolo su metà della sfoglia, ripiegare l’altra metà sopra e premere bene. Continuare a stendere fino a ottenere una sfoglia sottilissima. Con una rotella dentellata, tagliare la pasta in quadrati di circa 5 cm.

Portare il brodo a ebollizione e aggiungere i quadrati di pasta. Cuocere per 1–3 minuti, a seconda di quanto la pasta sia asciutta. Servire ben caldo, senza aggiungere formaggio, che ne rovinerebbe la purezza.

Questa è la versione dei quadrucci di Bugialli. Con un po’ più di tempo e usando la macchina per la pasta, la prossima volta anche i miei assomiglieranno a questi.

Altri Piatti per un Primo:

SPAGHETTI CON RICCI DI MARE

PASTA CON BOTTARGA

SPAGHETTI WITH CRAYFISH OR CRAB

 

PESCE CRUDO ALLA SICILIANA WITH CITRUS AND AROMATICS

Pesce Crudo alla Siciliana is one of the purest expressions of Sicilian seafood and it is: thinly sliced fish, lightly marinated in citrus, and finished with the fresh, aromatic flavours of the island.

In Sicily, raw fish is treated with great respect. A good dish of pesce crudo always begins with fish of extraordinary quality — impeccably fresh, carefully cleaned, and sliced as finely as a carpaccio. The preparation is simple, but the result is vibrant, elegant, and deeply connected to place.

I will definitely Make a Pesce Crudo over the upcoming Festive season.

What Is Pesce Crudo alla Siciliana?

Today, pesce crudo can be prepared with many types of fish and seafood. Delicate white fish fillets, sea urchins, calamari, octopus, prawns (especially red prawns), and scampi are all common. Sardines and anchovies, usually filleted rather than served whole, are also much loved.

What makes the dish unmistakably Sicilian is the choice of garnishes. These echo the island’s landscape and aromas: citrus juice and zest (especially blood orange), capers, olives, salted anchovies, fresh herbs such as mint, oregano, basil, or wild fennel, and often a touch of chilli. Almonds or pistachios add texture, while paper-thin slices of fruit or vegetables — strawberry, peach, vanilla persimmon, cucumber, fennel — Be inventive, bring colour and freshness to the plate.

Choosing the Right Fish in Melbourne

When preparing pesce crudo outside Sicily, freshness and sustainability are essential.

Below is some fish that is better than others when it comes to respect sustainability. Tips for Choosing Sustainable Seafood in Australia

  •  Check the species and fishery region — sustainability can differ significantly by area and stock. GoodFish

  • Look for independent certification labels like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for wild seafood. Australia & New Zealand

  • Ask how the fish was caught — line and pole methods generally have lower bycatch and habitat impact than longlines or trawls.

  • Use the GoodFish guide/app for real-time traffic-light ratings of local species

If using tuna, choose yellowfin tuna, ideally line-caught.
some fish that is better than others  –  options for raw preparations in Australia include:

  • Snapper

  • Flathead tails

  • Barramundi

  • Farmed kingfish from South Australia

  • Salmon (sourced from New Zealand)

Always buy from a trusted fishmonger and explain that the fish will be eaten raw.

Thinly Sliced Fish Marinated in Lemon with Sicilian Flavours
Ingredients (serves 2–4)

  • 250–300 g very fresh fish fillets, sliced paper-thin

  • Juice of 2 lemons

  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Extra virgin olive oil

  • A handful of capers, rinsed

  • Green or black olives, chopped

  • Finely grated zest of blood orange or lemon

  • Fresh herbs: mint, oregano, basil, or wild fennel

  • Fresh chilli, finely sliced (optional)

  • Roughly chopped almonds or pistachios

  • Very thin slices of fruit or vegetables (fennel, cucumber, strawberry, or prickly pear)

Method

Prepare the fish

Arrange the fish slices in a single layer on a serving plate. Lightly season with salt.

Marinate with lemon

Pour over enough lemon juice to just cover the fish. Cover and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes — just long enough for the citrus to lightly “cook” the surface.

Drain and season

Remove and discard the marinade. Dress the fish with extra virgin olive oil, black pepper, and citrus zest.

Add Sicilian flavours

Scatter over the capers, olives, chopped herbs, chilli (if using), and almonds or pistachios.

Finish with fruit or vegetables

Decorate with wafer-thin slices of fennel, cucumber, strawberry, or prickly pear for a fresh, colourful touch.

Serve immediately

This dish should remain bright, light, and impeccably fresh.

Pesce crudo as in a Trattoria in Mondello

GREAT BRITISH CHEFS GREAT ITALIAN CHEFS WEBSITE

** Some time ago I was asked to write three articles about Sicily for Great British Chefs/ Great Italian Chefs Website, one was about PESCE CRUDO

Read the complete article: Pesce crudo: Sicily’s love for raw fish

Photo that accompanies article in Great Italian Chef’s website
The other two articles:

Read the complete article: Culture clash: how North Africa changed Sicily forever

Read the complete article: Sicilian arancini: a complete guide

GREAT BRITISH CHEFS, GREAT ITALIAN CHEFS, Feature articles by Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Other recipes on my blog about sustainable fish :

Raw fish:

PESCE CRUDO, raw fish dishes in Sicily

SARDINE, CRUDE E CONDITE (Sardines; raw and marinaded)

Photo from Sicilian Seafood Cooking. Food stylist Fiona Rigg, photogapher Graeme Gilles.

Sustainability

PASTA CON LE SARDE, an iconic Sicilian recipe from Palermo. Cooked at Slow Food Festival Melbourne

SUSTAINABLE SHELLFISH: Choices Shape the Sea’s Future

THE HUMBLE SARDINE, A SUSTAINABLE CHOICE

SHARKS IN PERIL. Recipe: Pesce in Pastella; fish in batter

ADELAIDE CENTRAL MARKET AT FAIR SEAFOOD

FAIR SEAFOOD, Adelaide Central Market

Soused fish:

PISCI ALL’ AGGHIATA – PESCE ALL’AGLIATA (Soused fish with vinegar, garlic and bay)

MARINADED FISH and a recipe for PESCE IN SAOR

CHEAT FOOD FOR LAUNCH OF SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING AT COASIT AND READINGS: Marinaded white anchovies AND Olive Schacciate made with commercially prepared olives