Edible Fresco Cake inspired by Rome’s Villa Livia and Villa Farnesina
Edible fresco cake is an unexpected subject for my blog, yet this exquisite creation harmonises food, art, memories and a celebration in an unforgettable manner.
Gluten-free edible fresco cake decorated with Roman-inspired imagery
A Cake to Admire
So, shall we eat the cake, or simply admire it a little longer?
This cake was made by a friend for a special 70th birthday celebration in Hobart. It was conceived, baked and decorated by Valerie Sparks for her husband Roger. Valerie is an artist whose work explores immersive spaces—frescoes, glasshouses, historic wallpapers and contemporary light installations. Therefore, it is no surprise that she approached this cake as both a cook and an artist.
Turning Images into Edible Art
To begin with, the decoration came from edible prints—sometimes called icing sheets or sugar sheets—made by a specialty cake shop. A digital image is adjusted for colour and size, and then printed with food-safe inks onto a thin sheet of starch or sugar paste (in this case, gluten-free). As a result, once applied to a smooth iced surface, the image becomes part of the cake, almost like a transferred fresco.
Detail inspired by the frescoes of Villa Livia
Valerie collected the printed image and applied it to a well-chilled, buttercream-frosted cake. Meanwhile, the cake itself was built from several layers of the same size, baked over a few days and assembled with buttercream. Following the instructions carefully, she smoothed the edible sheet from the centre outwards to avoid air bubbles. Finally, she finished it with a border so that the image blended naturally into the design.
The Flavours
In addition, the cake was gluten-free, made with flour, eggs, sugar, butter, lemon zest and almond meal. Consequently, it had a light texture, gently perfumed with citrus and enriched by the almonds. The lemon butter icing—made with butter, icing sugar and fresh lemon juice—added a soft sweetness. At the same time, it provided a clean, sharp note of acidity that balanced the flavours beautifully.
Inspiration from Rome
Not surprisingly, Rome is one of Valerie and Roger’s favourite cities. During their travels, they were deeply taken by the frescoes of the Villa of Livia and the Villa Farnesina.
The Garden of the Villa of Livia
Roger, sitting in the room in Villa Livia surrounded by the frescoes
At the Villa of Livia, the frescoes—now preserved in the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme—once surrounded an underground dining room with a painted garden. In fact, trees heavy with fruit, flowering plants and birds create the illusion of a space open to the air, suggesting an eternal spring.
Fresco of lush garden with fruit trees and birds
Often interpreted as a symbol of abundance, fertility, and cultivated order, the garden may also carry subtle political meaning, reflecting the peace and prosperity associated with Augustus’ reign.
These images were used to decorate the sides of the fresco cake.
These works belonged to Livia Drusilla, wife of Augustus, a powerful and influential woman and the villa served as her country residence.
Livia Drusilla Claudia (59 BC – AD 29) was the daughter of a senator. She married Tiberius Claudius Nero around 43 BC (they had two sons, Tiberius and Drusus), but they divorced in 38 BC to marry Octavian, Julius Caesar’s adopted son and heir. Octavian became the first Roman emperor in 27 BC, known as Augustus, and Livia became the Roman empress. Livia and Augustus were married for over fifty years, and she was a trusted advisor to Augustus. Her son Tiberius became emperor in AD 14 after Augustus.
The Myth and Movement of Villa Farnesina
By contrast, the mood at the Villa Farnesina changes. The frescoes designed by Raphael and his workshop tell the story of Cupid and Psyche. Here, there is movement, lightness and grace. In particular, the doves—sacred to Venus—gently draw her chariot. As a result, they bring a softness to the scenes and remind us that even in myth, tenderness, love, grace and beauty have a place.
Doves are a recurring motif in Raphael’s frescoes at Villa Farnesina, notably in the depiction of doves pulling Venus’ chariot.Venus and her chariot pulled by doves
A Cake to Remember
Ultimately, this edible fresco cake brought together the stillness of a painted garden, the history and myths, the pleasure of sharing food at this celebration and Valerie’s skills . Although the cake was intended to be consumed, it also invited us to pause and observe—as we might before a fresco—before it was enjoyed further.
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.
Rinse, soak and dry capers. Soak sufficiently as you do not want the pesto to be over salty.
Crush garlic and almonds. Blend/pulse.
Add capers and pound (grind) to a coarse paste.
Work in herbs.
Add olive oil gradually to achieve a rustic texture.
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:
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. And it smells fantastic!
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
Prepare the wine: Aim for an alcohol level of roughly 6–10%.
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.
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!
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.
Taste and monitor: Begin tasting after four weeks. Most batches take 4–8 weeks, sometimes longer.
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
Heat olive oil in a wide pan.
Sauté onion until soft and lightly sweet. If using spring onion sauté less (I overcooked mine)
Add radicchio cut-side down and cook until lightly charred.
Add vinegar and sweetener; toss gently.
Cook for 2–3 minutes until slightly wilted but still structured.
Season and serve warm.
Alternative Charred Version of Radicchio Agrodolce
For a deeper flavour:
Sear the wedges vigorously without moving them.
Turn once.
Deglaze with vinegar or a vinegar-balsamic mixture.
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
Toast walnuts lightly in a dry pan until fragrant.
Add fat, sugar, and salt. Once the begin to melt add the vinegar.
Stir continuously until caramelised.
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
Toss radicchio with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
CUOCERE LA PASTA
Cuocere i bucatini nell’acqua di cottura del finocchio fino a quando sono al dente.
Scolare bene.
CUOCERE LE SARDE RIMANENTI
In una padella a parte, friggere leggermente i filetti di sarda rimasti.
Tenere da parte per la fase finale.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The humble sardine is one of the ocean’s most sustainable seafood choices.
Sardines are small, oily fish that have been a staple coastal communities for centuries and should be celebrated.
This post explores why sardines remain one of the ocean’s most sustainable seafood choices. It celebrates their history, flavour and environmental value, from Australia’s well-managed fisheries to Sicily’s cultural traditions and classic recipes.
SARDINE FISHING IN AUSTRALIA
In Australia, the native Sardinops sagax (often called pilchard) thrives in well-managed fisheries, particularly off South Australia especially from Port Lincoln . The fishery uses purse‐seine nets (rather than bottom trawling) and catch‐limits/quota management are in place These stocks are carefully monitored under strict quotas and have Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for sustainability. Recent surveys estimate healthy biomass levels, confirming that Australian sardines remain both abundant and responsibly harvested, a shining example of how science-based management can keep a fishery plentiful. Most of the catch in South Australia is used for fish feed (e.g., for tuna aquaculture) rather than direct human consumption.
Sardines are also fished off the Western Australian coast (Fremantle) and south coast (Albany).
SARDINE FISHING IN SICILY
Across the world in Sicily, sardines (Sardina pilchardus) are deeply woven into the island’s culinary traditions. Salted sardines are packed under sea salt and in oil and freshly grilled catches are served along the coast. However, the picture in the Mediterranean is more complex: while Sicilian fishers have worked these waters for generations, scientific assessments show local sardine populations face pressure from warming seas and high fishing intensity.
Syracuse, fishing boats
Ongoing research projects in Sicily are focused on restoring balance and ensuring future sustainability, reflecting both the cultural importance and ecological fragility of this common fish. A more accurate statement would be that they are culturally important, under study for sustainable management, but stocks may be under pressure.
SARDINE FISHING IN TRIESTE
As a child I lived in Trieste, on the northern Adriatic, sardines (sardoni in local dialect) have long been a staple of everyday cooking and seaside culture. They’re enjoyed most often crumbed and fried (sardoni impanai), grilled, or marinated with onions and vinegar in the Venetian-style in saor.
Trieste, Ponte Rosso
The shallow, nutrient-rich Gulf of Trieste has traditionally provided plentiful sardine and anchovy catches, though supplies today fluctuate with the season and fishing conditions. Despite this, sardines remain a defining taste of Triestine cuisine and a link between the city’s Central European character and its Adriatic setting.
TALE OF THREE REGIONS
Together, these regions tell a story of contrast and care: in Australia, sardines represent a model of modern, sustainable abundance, while in Italy, they embody heritage and a need for careful stewardship.
Many Australians are put off by the bold flavour of anchovies, but they are a quick-to-prepare, endlessly versatile and nutritionally beneficial food. The Italian recipes are steeped in cultural history and tradition, resulting in numerous preparation methods including raw and marinated, soused, baked, sautéed, fried, as part of pasta dishes, simple grills, canned and salted. The humble sardine remains a delicious, nutrient-rich, and environmentally conscious choice.
Some photos are from my book: Sicilian Seafood Cooking. Photogarpher Graeme Gillies, Stylist Fiona Rigg
Pizzaiola (or alla pizzaiola) is a traditional, rustic Italian cooking style that uses simple ingredients from Naples, in the Campania region of southern Italy. It’s about simmering meat, typically inexpensive cuts of beef or veal in a rich tomato-based sauce seasoned with garlic, olive oil, parsley, and oregano.
The term pizzaiola comes from pizzaiolo, meaning “pizza maker,” and refers to the similarity between the sauce used in this dish and the classic Neapolitan pizza sauce. Both share basic ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and olive oil that became iconic toppings after the 18th century, when tomatoes were fully integrated into southern Italian cuisine.
Carne alla pizzaiola is a perfect example of cucina povera – the “cuisine of the poor” – no-fuss cooking where simple, inexpensive ingredients are changed into flavourful meals.
The Meat: Tender or Tough. Quick Cooking or Slow Cooking?
Thin slices of beef (1cm)—such as fettine di manzo—are ideal for quick cooking. Cuts like Scotch fillet, porterhouse, or rump are tender enough for short simmering times.
But pizzaiola is also a great way to cook tougher cuts like blade steak, shoulder (spalla), or round (girello). I recently made it with topside and have used this cut of meat in previous times and after a longer, slow simmer, the meat became tender in the sauce.
Pizzaiola: Seasonal Variations
One of the joys of pizzaiola is how adaptable it is to the seasons:
Winter (with canned tomatoes):
I prefer to sear the meat first to add depth of flavour. Then, I gently cook garlic (sometimes whole cloves) in olive oil, add the canned tomatoes and oregano, and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes before adding the meat and parsley.
Summer (with fresh tomatoes):
When tomatoes are ripe and flavourful, I don’t sear. I combine raw meat with peeled, diced fresh tomatoes, herbs, oil and garlic right from the start—no pre-cooking. It’s lighter and fresher.
I often add sliced potatoes (just like my mother did). If using quick-cooking meat, slice potatoes thinly; for longer cooking cuts, slice them thicker so everything finishes together.
Classic Carne alla Pizzaiola (with Potatoes)
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2–4 thin or medium-cut beef slices
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
400g tin crushed or peeled tomatoes, cut into chunks
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano or 3 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Salt & cracked black pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Optional: 3–4 medium potatoes (Desiree or Sebago), peeled and cut into thick slices.
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a large frypan over medium heat.
Add sliced garlic and cook gently until fragrant—don’t let it brown.
Sear beef steaks for 1–2 minutes per side to brown lightly.
Distribute potato slices (if using) between the meat.
Add tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and parsley over the meat and potatoes.
Cover the pan, lower the heat, and simmer for 15–20 minutes (or 40-50mins for tougher cuts), turning steaks once. The sauce will thicken and the meat will become tender.
As you would expect I have written about Pizzaiola in a previous post:
When Massimiliano Gugole from SBS Italian Radio invited me to share a recipe on the morning show, I didn’t have to think twice—I chose stuffed artichokes. They’re my favourite way to prepare this elegant and flavoursome vegetable, and with the first spring artichokes just arriving at the Queen Victoria Market, the timing couldn’t have been better.
Over the years I’ve experimented with all sorts of fillings – minced meat (like mixture for polpette), ground almonds with ricotta, pan-fried breadcrumbs with egg, lemon zest and pine nuts, anchovies with black olives, but I always come back to my favourite mix: breadcrumbs, parsley, a touch of garlic, grated parmesan (if I am trying to emulate Northern Italy) or pecorino (as in Southern Italy), and good olive oil. The mixture is gently tucked into the centres before the artichokes are simmered in stock, white wine, and bay leaves.
I usually serve them as a main, with vegetables cooked in the same pot. Because the artichokes need to stand upright (their stems trimmed at the base), I often nestle potatoes around them – they hold everything in place and soak up some of that exquisite, unique flavour.
potatoes used to hold artichokes upright
Whole potatoes can be added simultaneously with the artichokes, and other spring vegetables such as peas and broad beans can be added approximately 15 minutes before the artichokes are cooked. Asparagus also makes a welcome addition and will need less cooking. Additionally, I enjoy poaching eggs in the stock, adding protein for a better balanced meal.
I also ensure that good bread is placed at the table to soak up any remaining rich cooking juices. A spoon doesn’t go astray with friends either, although this does not follow Italian etiquette.
In this post I will translate the Italian podcast but also include photos of the preparation of the seven artichokes I cooked for friends in my largest fish kettle a couple of weeks ago.
The Translated Podcast
“All Italians know how to cook artichokes,” says Marisa Raniolo Wilkins. But if you need some inspiration, here is a traditional, tasty, seasonal recipe, along with a few valuable tips for an excellent result.
“My favourite way to cook artichokes is the simple method my mother always used,” says Marisa Raniolo Wilkins, author of the blog All Things Sicilian And More.
“My maternal grandmother Maria (originally from Catania but who lived in Trieste for several years) also cooked them this way,” Marisa told SBS Italian, recalling how her grandmother used the same mixture of breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, grated cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil to stuff her sardines, tomatoes, and artichokes.
“I like to serve artichokes as a main dish; they’re too fiddly to eat as a side,” she says. Listen to the recipe from the author of All Things Sicilian And More.
Ingredients (serves 6) • 6 artichokes • 100 g (1 cup) dry fresh breadcrumbs (made from good-quality bread, 1–2 days old, crust removed, finely chopped) • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley • 2 tablespoons grated cheese (Parmesan is fine, but in Sicily, pecorino is more common) • A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil • 4 cups stock (vegetable or chicken, stock cube is fine) • 1 cup white wine • About 1 cup extra virgin olive oil • A few bay leaves
Marisa Raniolo recommends placing the artichokes in acidulated water as you prepare them — add the juice of a lemon to a bowl of water.
Preparation Choose and clean the artichokes carefully. Cut off the stems so the base is flat — they need to stand upright in the pot, which should be the right size so the artichokes fit snugly and stay upright.
Peel the tough skin from the stems, cut about 1 cm from the tips of the artichokes, and remove the tougher outer leaves. Check for the choke in the centre, which is more common in mature artichokes.Choke is fieno/barba in Italian and hay and beard in English; one has to love the Italian language!
Drain the artichokes from the acidulated water. With your fingers, gently open the leaves, especially in the centre. Sprinkle a little salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil between the leaves.
Mix the stuffing ingredients together and fill each artichoke.
“In Australia, artichokes are still considered exotic and perhaps difficult to prepare. But once you know how to clean them, they’re simple to cook,” says Marisa.
Place the artichokes upright in a pot. Put the stems between the artichokes and drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil.
I often like to press pine nuts into the stuffing.
Add the stock or water to about 2 cm below the top of the artichokes. Pour in the wine, add the bay leaves, and the rest of the oil.
Cover with a lid and cook slowly for about an hour.
You can also add peas, broad beans, and/or potatoes.
“I often add potatoes to help keep the artichokes standing, and they’re very good,” Marisa explains. “Potatoes can be added straight away, while peas and broad beans should go in about 15 minutes before the artichokes are done.”
Below, market in Sicily. Artichokes are always sold with long stems because stems are delicious.
This is the process for preparing the artichokes explained with photos.
The Cleaning:
the stalks need to be strippednotice how I remove the tough leaves leaving the edible part on the artichokethe stems have been trimmed and the artichokes are kept in the acidulated waterthe tops have been trimmed and the leaves need to be eased apart to make room for the stuffing in the centre
The Stuffing
The peeling/stripping of the stalks
Stuffing the artichokes
the artichokes are placed in the stock and wineready for cookingartichokes sitting in a fish kettle
