Special emphasis on Sicilian recipes within Italian regional cuisine in an Australian context
Made in 10 minutes – dead easy. Not a bad antipasto…or after dinner as it is a mixture of fresh fruit and cheese.
Looks good, tastes good.
Compliments…. Plenty.
INGREDIENTS:
Fresh, good quality figs
Stuffing: feta cheese, or drained ricotta, bocconcini or pecorino fresco.
Optional- walnut pieces.
Decoration and for fresh taste: Fresh mint leaves
PROCESSES
See the photo above.
This squash, the green leaves and magnificent sprigs of basil were a gift from a Sicilian friend: her father grew them in his garden. I feel very privileged to be given these precious vegetables. They are not a vegetable that can be easily sourced; I have seen them only once at a market in Melbourne.
in Sicilian this squash is called a cucuzza and in Italian I will call it a zucca lunga – long squash or zucca serpente – which is what it is, a long serpent like squash. The tender leaves and tendrils of this plant are called tenerumi and I have written about these previously because both are typically loved by Sicilians and commonly used to make a refreshing summer soup (it could also be classified as a wet pasta dish).
MINESTRA ESTIVA CON ZUCCA LUNGA SICILIANA, Sicilian Summer soup made with the long, green variety of squash
This time I cooked the soup differently than usual. There was more zucca – I used the produce I was given and I also made it in the same pot (in the other recipe which contains more tenerumi and less zucca, two pans are used).
The next day, we ate the leftovers as a cold soup; it was just as good….and as traditional. It is summer after all.
I appreciate this soup’s fresh taste and I sprinkled only a few chilli flakes on top (or use black pepper.)
Most of the time when I marinate quail for a BBQ I either use the traditional Greek /Italian mixture of oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and oregano, or if I particularly crave for the middle eastern flavours, I may use preserved lemons, cumin, pomegranate molasses; sometimes I may add walnuts, red onions and parsley.
I have always liked to include sage when I braise quail with white wine and particularly if I present them with polenta, so this time, I used sage in the marinade for the quails, which I later grilled.
I must admit, I did crave a bit of grilled polenta to accompany the quail, but on this occasion I accompanied them with a quinoa salad (See Middle- Eastern flavours above and add tomatoes, cucumber).
Because I had some pork sausages to BBQ I decided to push a sprig of fresh rosemary into each sausage before I cooked them. They tasted great. I do like herbs!
MA2SBAE8REVW
Pasqua is Easter, and this is celebrated with traditional Sicilian sweets, particularly Cassata and the Agnellino Pasquale (the Pascal Lamb). These small lambs are often made of marzipan but can also be crafted from other ingredients.
Polizzi Generosa is in the Madonie Mountains. The drive through the mountains on a foggy day was quite unsettling. The township is perched at ~900m with stunning valley views. ancient charm, Norman churches, artisanal food especially pastries.
Below is the photo of a small pasticceria in Polozzi Generosa, in the Madonie Mountains, not that far from Palermo. I have misplaced the photos of the pascal lambs I found in this shop, but they were beautiful.
* I looked this up recently to recommend to a traveller, and it is now listed as permanently closed.
Agnellino pasquale (Pascal LambS)
These Pascal lambs in the photo below are from Dolcetti, an excellent Pastry shop on Victoria Street in Melbourne. marianna, the pastry chef is of Sicilian Heritage.
Hers are made of Marzipan.
In Sicily, the traditional pascal lambs (agnellini pasquali) are made with marzipan, however I have found a recipe for making the lamb out of pasta garofolata (dough flavoured with cloves/ cloves are chiodi di garofano in Italian).
This same dough is used to make ossa dei morti (bones of the dead, customary Nov1st/ 2nd, the day of the Dead/ All saints Day).
Here is another version from a different Pasticceria in Sicily. This one is made of the dough used to make the traditional, Sicilian almond biscuits.
For those of you who may wish to try making a pascal lamb (could be fun to make with children), here is the recipe from:
RECIPE from Culinaria Italy, Claudia Piras, 2004:
In a saucepan, bring the sugar to the boil in a little water. When the sugar is dissolved, lower the heat and sift in the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, being careful that no lumps form. The flour MUST NOT be allowed to brown, it must stay snow white.Stir in the powdered cloves.
Once everything is thoroughly mixed and the flour is nice and white, remove from the heat.
As soon as it has cooled down enough to be handled make little bone shapes or lambs out of the dough.
Alternatively, if you have appropriately shaped moulds you can brush them with a little almond oil and fill with the dough.
NB. There are many recipes for making ossa dei morti; many use almond meal and egg white (marzipan).
In Sicily, the dessert has to be cassata – not the Neapolitan one made with ice cream, but with ricotta, and Sicilians use sheep’s milk ricotta because they can.
Each time I make a cassata it always looks different, but they always taste good. on occasions I have even made made marzipan with pistachio nuts – it can be a long process peeling off any of their flaky skins!
I always cover the cassata with marzipan.
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| A slice of cassata |
RECIPE FOR Glassa (fondant)
In pastry shops many cassate are covered with glassa (fondant):
There are many recipes where icing sugar is melted in water over a stove and then poured over the cassata – I find this too hard to work with and far too sweet. The following fondant is much easier to work with:
Fondant:
Beat 1 egg white till stiff, add 350 g of icing sugar (which has been infused with a vanilla bean). Add juice of one lemon and a few drops of green colouring. Beat till smooth. Spread over cassata. Many pasticcerie use white and green fondant.
To make cassata, see 2 different posts:
Cassata
Cassata 2
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| In Melbourne (Queen Victoria Market Stall no 61-63) |
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Pizzaiola, my mother called it, no need to use the term bistecca or fettine alla pizzaiola because experienced, Italian cooks all knew, that this traditional dish was only made with yearling or beef steak.
My son visited me last weekend and I cooked pizzaiola for him – it was one of his favourites as a child, either cooked by his grandmother or me.
Pizzaiola is a classic and very simple Neapolitan dish: young beef, ripe tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, garlic, seasoning and parsley. These are the simple flavours of Naples (Campania region of Italy), the home of pizza. There may be some simple and complimentary variations when i napoletani make this dish, for example the addition of basil or some finely chopped anchovies – and even a food purist like me could tolerate a little of these ingredients. If you want the real thing, pizzaiola is cooked on the stove, no mushrooms, bacon, cheese slices, capers, olives or any other embellishment.
I had not cooked this dish for a long time so I thought that I would consult some of my books about Regional Italian cuisine. Because it is a Neapolitan dish, it is not represented by all of the classic cooks, (not even Pellegrino Artusi (1820–1911), author of La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiare bene – The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well.) But some of the old, celebrity lions and lionesses (e.g. Waverly Root, Ada Boni, Elizabeth David, Anna Gosetti della Salda) include the recipe in their collections and know how it is traditionally cooked. Do not look for a recipe on the web, you may be grossly misinformed.
In some of the recipes, the steak is sealed quickly in hot oil before it is added to the sauce. My mother never did this (and in fact some of the older recipes do not do this either); the steak is put into the sauce raw, this results in a much lighter tasting dish.
I like to add potatoes to pizzaiola and cook the potatoes with the meat at the same time; patate all pizzaiola is also a classic Neapolitan dish and often the two are combined.
Usually in Italian cuisine dry oregano is preferred (because it is stronger tasting), but for pizzaiola the fresh oregano is also well-liked – use a generous amount of fresh oregano and cut it finely.
You need lean, young beef, sliced very thinly. On this occasion I used a girello which I sliced myself, but in the past I have used thinly sliced topside. If I use rump or sirloin which require less cooking time, I do not add potatoes, reduce the amount of cooking time and only use half of the amounts of tomatoes. I am unsure of what cuts of meat to use in other countries – I have many readers in the USA or UK.
This dish is assembled in layers and then cooked.
INGREDIENTS
1. young beef/yearling steaks, very thinly sliced, trimmed of all fat and beaten with a meat mallet to about 5mm thick, 6 (one per person)
2. tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, 800g (2 tins x 400g each)
3. potatoes, peeled, then cut into thick slices, estimate how many you would like for each guest
4. extra virgin olive oil ¾ cup, garlic 4-5 cloves cut finely, salt and pepper to taste, fresh parsley cut finely, ½ cup, oregano, fresh ½ cup (or dried, 2 teaspoons).
PROCESSES
Begin with a dribble of oil, herbs and garlic etc (See 4 above).
Next, add some tomatoes (See 2 above).
The next layer is steak, (continue with 4 and 2)
Then a layer of slices of potatoes (see 3 above).
Continue with the layers and ensure that the ingredients are just covered with some tomato. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and the meat is tender.
As my son said at the end of the meal: “Just like nonna used to make it”.
Why are grandmothers more important?
These beautiful chickens (and dogs) belong to friends. The chicken with the speckled feathers around her neck (in the front of the top photo/ and in the second photo at the bottom) won 1st prize at the Royal Melbourne show in 2009.
My friends would not dream of eating their chickens.
Whilst admiring these chickens my friends and I began discussing a chicken recipe that they had eaten at my place, an adaptation of a Sicilian recipe called Jadduzzedi e Puddastri ca sarsa pipirata in Pino Correnti’s book: Il libro d’oro della cucina e dei vini di Sicilia.
Correnti describes the dish as young chickens and roosters, pot roasted in oil, butter, bay leaves, rosemary, salt and pepper and deglazed with a little marsala (the dry variety). These were then served with a reduced salsa pipirata consisting of the following ingredients: vin cotto, broth flavoured with cinnamon, cloves, ginger and rosemary, grated lemon peel and pomegranate juice. Apparently this particular dish was appreciated by a noble in Palermo in the eighteenth century. Unfortunately then Correnti goes on to say that this dish was revealed to him by a medium, and that he has never found any basis or documentation for this recipe.
All cuisines have cultural origins, but the cooking methods and flavours have altered and evolved throughout history to become what they are today.
For a detailed version of the possible Cultural Origins of this medieval sounding dish see:
SPICY CHICKEN SALAD WITH PEPPER, PUDDASTRI CA PIPIRATA: POLLASTRI CON PEPERATA
Here is my version of Puddastri ca pipirata.
INGREDIENTS
chicken fillets, skinless or with skin. I use organic and depending on how large they are, estimate 1 per person.
The following recipe is sufficient for 6 people.
For the poaching liquid:
chicken stock, sufficient to cover the fillets (made beforehand)
celery, 2 stalks left whole
carrots, 3 young, scraped and left whole
onion,1 sliced into thick slices
spices, 5 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 pepper corns
bay leaves, 3
parsley, 4 sprigs
rosemary, 1sprig
For the marinade:
extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup
spices, 1/2 teaspoon of each, ground cloves and cinnamon (I used whole cloves once and watched my friends picking them out from their mouths – not a good feel),
bay leaves, 3- 4 (fresh leaves look great as well as doing their job)
chilly flakes or black pepper, to taste (I use plentyt)
sugar, a small teaspoon
salt, to taste
red wine vinegar 1/3 cup
lemon, the juice of 1, and the peel , peeled with a potato peeler and kept in strips so it can easily be removed.
For the salad:
celery, 2 of the tender stalks sliced thinly, and some of the light green leaves, chopped
cooked chicken and carrots
spring onions, 3 chopped or cut lengthwise into thin , short pieces
pine nuts, 3/4 cup
seedless muscatels (or raisins or currants), 3/4 cup previously soaked in a little wine or marsala
PROCESSES
Prepare this dish at least the day before you serve it – this allows the flavours in the marinade to achieve the required results.(I have learned through experience that this dish tastes even better if left to marinade for at least 24 hours).
Use a wide, shallow sauce pan which allows the fillets to be placed in a single layer (if possible). If the chicken is in a double layer, ensure that during the poaching process you swap the ones on top with the ones in the bottom layer to allow even cooking.
Prepare the poaching liquid – I really like to make this strongly flavoured.
Use sufficient chicken stock to cover the chicken fillets. (I usually have some stock in the fridge or stored in the freezer made with chicken with bones, carrot, onion and celery stick, a little salt, boiled and then reduced – see BRODO earlier post).
Strain the stock through a colander, empty it into the saucepan and to the stock, add the ingredients in for the poaching liquid listed above.
Bring the stock with added flavourings to the boil.
Place the fillets gently into this poaching liquid – it should just cover the fillets. Adding the meat to the hot stock will seal the meat and preserve the flavou. Adding the meat to the cold liquid will enrich the taste of the broth. Because the meat is the focus, add the chicken to the hot liquid.
Cover with a lid and bring slowly to the boil again on medium heat. Leave the chicken to poach gently for about 7 minutes (I do not like to overcook them – they need to be white in colour and when pricked with a fork still have some resistance).
Remove the pan from the heat and leave the chicken in the poaching liquid till cool – the chicken will keep on cooking in the poaching liquid and be kept moist till you are ready to marinade it.
Marinade: Mix all of the ingredients together in a container.
To assemble the salad:
I like to use a deep glass bowl to see the chicken and salad ingredients in layers.
Take out chicken fillets and cut each fillet into thick slices.
Strain the poaching liquid, discard the solids but keep the carrots – these can be sliced into batons and added to the salad.
Place the chicken fillets and carrots in layers and cover with a little marinade and other ingredients as you go. The lemon peel and bay leaves can be at the bottom of the dish and between the layers. Sprinkle pine nuts and drained dried muscatels, the spring onions, celery and carrots between the layers.
Top the whole dish with some of the cooled poaching liquid until all the chicken is covered (this will keep it moist and a good colour) and leave to pickle in the fridge. Shake the dish occasionally to amalgamate the flavours. Remove it from the fridge about an hour prior to serving.
Presentation
Prior to presenting the dish you may like to drain off some of the liquid to make it more manageable. Ensure that each person receives some of the other solids as well as the chicken and serve some of the liquid separately if you wish.
It is at this stage that on numerous occasions I have taken more liberties with dish by:
• adding one or more extra ingredients to the dressing: 1-2 chopped anchovies , 1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses instead of the sugar (molasses is definitely not Sicilian)
• scattering pomegranate seeds on top of the salad.
Save any left over liquid to use as a stock to flavour braised rabbit, chicken, pork and venison dishes.
A bit of trivia:
I read recently that pomegranate juice has anti-inflammatory compounds, cancer-killing isoflavones and antioxidant properties. Italians call it melograna, melograno granato, pomo granato, or pomo punico. The generic term, punica, was the Roman name for Carthage, and the best pomegranates came to Italy from Carthage.
Cassata is most closely associated with Easter, when fresh sheep’s milk ricotta is abundant in the Sicilian spring, but the cake is now enjoyed throughout the year for festive occasions and is perfect for an Australian Christmas.
I have been making cassata for a very long time and this post was first written on 15 December 2009 and I have updated over time.
Many believe that a cassata is an ice cream cake made out of assembled layers of ice cream. No Sicilians believe it, it is the Neapolitans who may be confused.
There are three types of Cassate (plural):
Some people differentiate between the two cassate by referring to the one made with ice cream as a Neopolitan cassata.
In the early 19th century, the ice cream makers of Naples were famous for making moulded, opulent, ice cream layered cakes and these were called cassate (plural of cassata).
The Sicilian cassata, however, has much older roots than the ice cream cakes popular with the Neapolitans.
This Cassata is a round, moulded cake shaped in a bowl lined with layers of sponge cake. The principal ingredient is sheep’s milk ricotta, which is sweeter and more delicate than ricotta made with cow’s milk.
The Ingredients That Define Cassata Siciliana
What distinguishes the traditional cassata of Sicily is its filling of sweetened sheep’s milk ricotta, mixed with:
Within Sicily there are some variations which vary by location and family tradition, for example some recipes include an additional layer of sponge cake in the centre as well as the casing. Some pastry chefs also include zuccata (candied pumpkin).
The Ancient Origins of Cassata
Cassata is considered one of the great traditional desserts of Sicily and reflects the island’s long history of Arab, Spanish, French and local culinary influences.
Some say that the word cassata may have come from the Roman name for cheese, caseus (the Sicilian word for cheese is casu` or caseata).
The Arabs
Many believe that its origins are Arabic – the Arabs occupied Sicily for several hundred years – the invasion began in 827 AD and they conquered Sicily in 902 AD. They introduced the cultivation of sugar, very sweet desserts and the use of nuts and dried fruit in pastries. It is also likely that the name cassata may have come from Arab word qas’ah, a deep terra-cotta bowl; that may even have been used to shape the cake.
The Spaniards
The sponge cake is called pan di spagna in Italian (bread from Spain) and may have been a Spanish addition – the Spanish ruled Sicily intermittently for may years (Angevins, Aragonese, Viceroys and Bourbons from 1282 until the end of the reign of Ferdinand the second in 1859).
The French and the nuns in convents
The French and the locals also contributed to the evolution of Cassata. The pastry traditions of Sicilian convents later intersected with the work of the monsù, the French-trained chefs employed in aristocratic households from the eighteenth century onwards. While the nuns preserved and developed many almond- and ricotta-based sweets within convent kitchens, the monsù refined and elaborated these traditions, introducing greater technical sophistication and decorative flourish that helped shape the elaborate cassata and marzipan desserts recognised today.
The Role of the Pasticcere (pastry maker) and the Pasticceria (pastry shop)
Baked versions of Sicilian casssate are often made at home, but usually Sicilians (this includes my relatives), order their cassata from a pasticceria – it is left to the experts to make, mainly because cassate are usually elaborately decorated by pasticceri.
Some of the cassate in pasticcerie are often very baroque and white and green striped fondant is used. They are then decorated with ribbons of zuccata (candied pumpkin) and are often sprinkled with silver sugar balls.
Another Traditional Sicilian Details is sieving the ricotta before mixing it with the sugar. A small but important step in traditional cassata preparation is sieving the ricotta before mixing it with the sugar.
This extra step may seem minor, but it greatly improves the texture of the cassata. The filling becomes creamy and delicate rather than grainy, which is why Sicilian pastry chefs rarely skip it.
In many Sicilian kitchens the fresh sheep’s milk ricotta is first left to drain for several hours, sometimes overnight, so that excess whey is removed. It is then pressed through a fine sieve (or a food mill). This produces a filling that is exceptionally smooth and light.
Only after the ricotta has been sieved is the sugar added, followed by the chocolate, candied fruit and flavourings.
The cassata is left to set and once it is turned out of the mould it is spread with apricot jam. It can then be covered with a sugar fondant (this is often coloured pale green because at one time cassata was covered with marzipan made with pistachio meal).
My preferred option is to cover it with marzipan and candied fruits and I have no trouble making a simple version of marzipan.
The marzipan can be made well ahead of time.
I have also used marzipan fruit as decoration, this being what my friend Libby did when she followed my recipe of cassata and the post with a recipe to make Marzipan fruit.
Introduction to my making of Cassata
I first made cassata many years ago using the recipe from Ada Boni’s Italian Regional Cooking book. This highly regarded and out-of-print publication has evolved over time to consistently produce a delicious result, although its presentation does not match the elaborate decorative images of cassate in this post.
Cassata is a celebratory Sicilian dessert, rich in flavour, symbolism and history. While it requires time and care, it can be prepared in stages — and the result is a cake that truly reflects the essence of Sicilian tradition.
It is best prepared over two days. Assemble the cake one day in advance and allow it to rest overnight so it sets properly. The sponge also benefits from being made ahead, making this an ideal dessert to prepare in stages.
Ricotta
Use firm, well-drained ricotta, preferably sheep’s milk, which is naturally sweeter and richer.
Ricotta is often sold in large rounds and cut to order — this is ideal.
Avoid tub ricotta, which is usually too wet and lacks flavour. If this is your only option, drain it overnight.
For a richer filling, you may add a little thick cream when blending.
Candied Fruit
Candied fruit (glacé fruit) is fruit preserved in a sugar syrup, which keeps it moist and intensifies its flavour.
Where possible, use high-quality candied citrus peel or whole candied orange slices rather than standard mixed peel.
Candied Cedro (Cedro Candito)
Also known as glacé citron peel, cedro is a fundamental ingredient in Sicilian patisserie. Grown in Sicily and Calabria, this large citrus fruit is easily recognised by its thick, aromatic rind, which ranges from green to yellow as it ripens.
Unlike lemons, cedro is prized not for its juice but for its peel — fragrant, sweet and tender. The rind is traditionally candied or transformed into a smooth, sweet paste, both of which are essential components in many classic Sicilian desserts.
Liqueur
Use to taste. Suitable options include:
* Like many Italian recipes, particularly older ones, quantities are not as critical. Most recipes rely on sensory perception, particularly sight, touch and taste.
Adjust the recipe to your preferences and add greater quantities of ingredients as desired.
Recipes and Ingredients for the different components
Prepare 1–3 days in advance to facilitate easier handling.
Ingredients
Method
Cool completely. Wrap the sponge in protective covering or store it in a tin to maintain its freshness. until ready to use.
Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Ingredients
Method
Optional: Divide into two portions and colour one green. Traditionally, cassata features pale green marzipan, sometimes linked to pistachio-based paste.
Wrap and refrigerate until needed (keeps well).
When ready to roll the marzipan out do it between sheets of baking paper for ease.
Assembling the Ricotta
Refrigerate overnight to set.
Covering and Decorating (Do this on the day of serving)
In Spring we get broad beans and fresh peas. Artichokes (one name for them is cannolicchi in Sicilian) are also available and the combination of these three vegetables is very common in Italian (includes Sicilian) Spring recipes.
The recipe and the name of this dish is taken from the menu of one of Sicily’s outstanding restaurants the Charleston, found in Mondello on the outskirts of Palermo. I do not know why the restaurant is called by this name, but speculate that its size and grandeur is reminiscent of the popular, dance halls of the twenties. It is a lively, glamorous restaurant on the water, with top food and reputed to be frequented by pezzi grossi (slang for people who mean business).
The Charleston is a popular restaurant and the menu represents the best of Sicilian traditional dishes, wines and quality produce. Each traditional dish is modern in its presentation and very different to Sicilian food one generally eats in Sicily.
Using tubular pasta will help to trap the sauce and cannolicchi are suggested in the recipe. These are cylindrical shaped, hollow pasta ranging from 50-60 mm in length with a smooth surface; other large tubular pasta can be used.
The vegetables are cooked very quickly. The softer centre and the fondi of the artichokes (the tender, fleshy parts at the base) are used in this dish, so you can purchase the larger, fleshy, artichokes which are very common in the Queen Victoria Market.
The pasta dish is similar to a warm salad. I make the sauce while the pasta is cooking to better preserve the colours of the vegetables (the different shades of the colour green).
In my recipe I add herbs at the end of cooking – mint or fennel fronds (cut finely) or fresh basil (not yet in season). I also like to include a spoonful of fresh ricotta on each person’s plate.
The following recipe is for 6 people
INGREDIENTS
pasta, 400g cannolicchi or other tubular pasta
artichokes, the fondi (bases)-depending on the size of the artichokes I usually buy 5 large artichokes and use the stalk as well.
lemon, 1 for acidulated water.
broad beans, young, 1kg.
peas, young, 1kg.
onion, 1 large white, fresh (fresh onion are sweeter in taste ) sliced,
pecorino, 100g freshly grated
salt and pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil, 3/4 cup
PROCESSES
Shell the peas and broad beans. (Many remove the outer light green peel of the broad beans – I only buy young broad beans and only remove the skin of the larger beans)
Prepare the artichokes by first removing all of the leaves and only keeping the tender centre and its fleshy base. Remove the choke if there is one. The peeled stalks and the artichokes should be sliced finely. Keep in acidulated water until ready to use.
Boil the water, add salt and cook the pasta and make the sauce while the pasta is cooking.
Heat the oil and add the onion. Stir gently until golden and softened.
Add the vegetables and toss till they begin to change colour and have softened (about 7-10 mins). Add salt during cooking.
Add fresh, finely chopped herbs before the end of cooking..
Drain the pasta, add the sauce and toss gently.
Present it with grated pecorino and black pepper.
I hope to eat at the Charleston again (I arrive in Palermo within the next few days). Because it will be autumn, these will not be on the menu, but I am pretty certain that whatever I eat will be seasonal and fabulous.
