Sicilian Seafood Cooking | All Things Sicilian and more

MERCATO 625-627 Lower North East Road Campbelltown, SA. Sicilian Cooking class, Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

La Cucina

Tradizionale Siciliana

with

Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

at MERCATO

625 – 627 Lower North East Road Campbelltown SA ph: 08 8337 1808 fax: 08 8337 8024 e: marketing@mercato.com.au book online: www.mercato.com.au

About Marisa Raniolo Wilkins…

Like a true Sicilian, Marisa Raniolo Wilkins is a lively fusion of cultures and experience. She was born to Sicilian parents in Ragusa, but she spent her childhood in the far northeast of Italy in the famous port city of Trieste, where her parents had met. In her summer holidays Marisa would travel to Sicily to visit her relatives. This was where Marisa learnt about food and cooking from her Sicilian relatives.

“My mother always told me that my father’s family knew nothing about cooking, but it was my father’s sisters who were some of my greatest inspirations in the kitchen,” Marisa says.

Marisa and her family migrated to Australia in the late-1950s and settled in Adelaide, not far from where Imma and Mario established Mercato. Growing up in Adelaide, Marisa always kept in touch with Sicily and maintained her interest in flavours and ingredients.

Over the years she has travelled to Sicily many times to visit her extended family, adding to her store of first-hand experience with every visit. Marisa enjoyed a successful career as a teacher and educationist in South Australia before moving to Melbourne in early 2002.

As she was getting settled in Melbourne, and in between jobs, Marisa rediscovered her passion for writing and her ambition to write a book about Sicilian cuisine and to document some of the classic, local Sicilian dishes cooked by her grandmothers and aunties and food that she has eaten throughout the island of Sicily. The result, eight years later, is her book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking, published by New Holland in November 2011.

Photos courtesy of Bob Evans

Modern takes on traditional Sicilian dishes. Although Sicily is not a large Island, the cuisine varies considerably from region to region.
In this food workshop & cooking demonstration Marisa Raniolo Wilkins, author of the book Sicilian Seafood Cooking, will prepare and demonstrate the ways Sicilian cuisine has been shaped and influenced by the dominant cultures of the Mediterranean from the ancient times to the modern day, which includes Greek, Roman, Arabic, French and Spanish cultures.Marisa will share her experience in the kitchen and her love of Sicilian Cuisine.

~Menu~
Caponata
When you go to Sicily, you must eat Caponata & you may have thought that eggplants are the main ingredient. Marisa will make different caponate
(plural of caponata) which feature different
ingredients that reflect the seasons.
Paired with 2011 Tavignano Verdicchio Villa Torre

Pasta alla Norma
Pasta alla Norma is a traditional dish from Catania.
In modern restaurants & kitchens it is now presented in a variety of creative ways that reflect the inevitable fusions of cuisines across the world. Marisa will prepare different variations of the dish that she experienced in her recent trip to Sicily, including some that use fish.
Paired with 2009 Baglio Curatolo Nero d’Avola, SicilyCucciaYou will also experience a modern version of a very ancient dessert called Cuccia that has deep-rooted religious and seasonal associations.
Paired with 2010 Etna Rosso Erse, Sicily

When: Friday 12th July 2013

Where: at Mercato in the demo kitchen
625-627 Lower North East Road
Campbelltown SA

Tickets: $120 per person
This class starts at 6.30pm and runs for approximately 3 hours and includes detailed recipe notes, delicious food matched with a tasting of Italian wine and informative, fun conversation.
We also offer all guests 10% discount on any purchases made in-store on the evening
This class has a limit of 16 people.

MA2SBAE8REVW

CHRISTMAS RECIPES with a Sicilian theme and “Feast of the Seven Fishes.”

I prefer the Christmas celebration to be on Christmas Eve, called La Vigilia (the Vigil) in Italian.

As for Christmas Day itself? I address this in other posts, but if I am hosting Christmas Day, I probably prefer the same type of food.

In Sicily, as in many parts of Italy, the Christmas Eve celebration is deeply rooted in Catholicism and tradition, and one of the most cherished customs is sharing a festive meal with family and friends on La Vigilia. This meal features fish, and/ or vegetarian content.

I originally wrote this post on December 20, 2012, to share the types of Sicilian fish dishes I might cook here in Australia on Christmas Eve (or during the festive period). And guess what? The traditions and recipes are just as relevant today, so I’m bringing it back to the spotlight for another festive season!

Italy is filled with centuries-old Catholic traditions of fasting and abstaining from meat on certain holy days, including Fridays, Good Friday and the Vigil of Christmas. Over time, this once-simple custom has evolved into the grand feast that marks the start of Christmas celebrations.

After the meal, many Italians head to Midnight Mass, to honour the holiday’s religious significance. While some choose to celebrate the vigil without attending Mass, others prefer to take part in the Mass service on Christmas Day itself. Regardless of when or how they celebrate, the spirit of togetherness and tradition for La Vigilia remains for families across Italy.

Italians typically have a more subdued occasion on Christmas Day, often visiting friends but keeping their meals light. In Australia, however, for numerous Italians Christmas Day is widely celebrated, especially in multicultural marriages and for larger families.

I have many readers from U.S. who are probably wondering if for La Vigilia (Christmas Eve) I will take part in the so-called The Feast of the Seven Fishes.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a tradition which is strong among Italian Americans of Sicilian and Southern Italian background that they strongly adhere to.This tradition is particularly present in the Northeast U.S. (such as New York and New Jersey) and practiced in various forms in other parts of U.S.

It involves a big meal with a variety of seafood dishes, typically featuring seven different types of fish or seven different courses, although some families may serve more or fewer depending on their traditions.

I first encountered The Feast of the Seven Fishes through a conversation with Mary Taylor Simeti who was visiting Australia for a Food and wine Festival when we were both interviewed by Jane O’Connor for an article in the December 2010 issue of Italianicious. We were asked what we had on our tables on Christmas day and we both said that we generally ate lightly as we liked to celebrate on Christmas Eve.

Mary, is a revered voice in Sicilian cuisine and culture, is a brilliant and widely published writer and historian whose insights into the food of Sicily are unparalleled. She has written very notable books and articles in Italian and English. She is originally American, has married a Sicilian and lives in Sicily, and has done so for many years. She is a strong Sicilian voice. As we sat down to discuss the tradition, I couldn’t help but feel intrigued by this notion, though both Mary and I were quick to admit that we had never encountered it in Sicily itself. In all our cumulative years (especially Mary’s) of experience with Sicilian food and culture, The Feast of the Seven Fishes had not appeared on a Sicilian table.

And why is seven the significant number? That’s anybody’s guess, and it is fun to speculate.

While the number “seven” is not strictly required, it holds significant symbolic meaning. In Catholicism, the number seven is considered sacred, representing the seven days of Creation, the seven sacraments, the seven virtues or deadly sins, or perhaps the seven hills of Rome.

In my book Sicilian Seafood Cooking, and on my blog you’ll find a range of recipes perfect for Christmas Eve. I really like the idea of preparing several courses, and it’s easy to start with something light like a vegetarian dish (bring on grilled zucchini, eggplants and peppers or a Caponata or Parmigiana!) or a seafood salad or fish—thinly sliced, raw and marinaded.

A small serve of a seafood pasta could follow or some other light serving of rolled fish or a baked fish or a baccalà (salted cod) dish. Baccala is traditionally eaten in many parts of Italy including in Trieste where I lived as a child. In many parts of Italy. eel is also popular.

There are also many recipes that could be useful for this holiday period on my blog. Here are only a few:

A SEAFOOD CHRISTMAS – BUON NATALE ( ***There are numerous recipes in this Post. I was interviewed on ABC with Fran Kelly Dec 2011)

Pasta dishes I particularly like preparing:

PASTA CON LE SARDE (SARDINES)

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

SPAGHETTI WITH CRAYFISH OR CRAB (Spaghetti con Aragosta o Granco)

PASTA CON BOTTARGA ( Pasta with Grated Bottarga)

MONTALBANO’S PASTA WITH BLACK INK SAUCE

PESCE ALLA GHIOTTA (Sicilian Fish, a recipe to satisfy the gluttons)

Mussels with Sambuca– anice flavoured liqueur)
GAMBERI AL COGNAC (Prawns cooked with cognac or brandy)
BAKED BACCALÀ (Baccalaru ‘o fornu – Sicilian and Baccalà al forno- Italian)
FISH BRAISE WITH TOMATOES, GARLIC, RED CHILLIES AND ANCHOVIES
RICH FISH SOUP FROM SYRACUSE COOKED IN THE OVEN

PER NATALE, COSA SI MANGIA? At Christmas, what do you eat?

CAPONATA SICILIANA (CATANESE; Caponata as made in Catania)

CAPONATA Catanese (from Catania) made easy with photos

CASSATA (It is perfect for an Australian Christmas) CASSATA DECONSTRUCTED – a postmodernist take on Sicilian Cassata

CHRISTMAS DOLCI and DOLCETTI and Pistachio Shortbread Biscuit

GIUGGIULENA (also CUBBAITA) – a brittle Sicilian toffee of sugar and honey with sesame seeds and almonds

PESCE ALLA GHIOTTA (Sicilian Fish, a recipe to satisfy the gluttons)

Wendy is a friend who lives in Ardrossan, a small town on the east coast of the Yorke Peninsula (about 150 km from Adelaide). She and her husband have a boat and they often go fishing. I too have gone fishing on their boat and watched them catch fish, mainly King George Whiting, Squid and Garfish.

To make me jealous and as a subtle way to suggest I should go to visit them, she sent me a photograph of a large Australian Salmon she caught recently; she then sent me more photos of how she cooked it.

Australian Salmon belongs to the perch family (surprisingly it is not a salmon). As you can see from the photo Wendy has filleted the fish. Some people find this fish very fishy, but it lends itself to recipes with strong accompanying flavours.

Wendy chose a recipe from my book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking. The recipe is Fish alla ghiotta from Messina and is cooked with tomatoes, green olives, capers, pine nuts and currants (AGGHIOTTA DI PISCI A MISSINISA – PESCE ALLA GHIOTTA ALLA MESSINESE).

There are many variations of this dish and this one contains Sicilian flavours in excess – it is sure to satisfy the gluttons.

Sicilians use piscispata (Sicilian for swordfish; pescespada is the Italian), but any cutlets of firm, large fish cut into thick slices or thick fillets are suitable. I like to buy sustainable seafood and have used: Flathead, Trevally, Kingfish, Snapper, Mackerel and Barramundi. Obviously Australian Salmon can now be added to this list but in Victoria I have not seen much of this fish.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 x 200g (7oz.) fish steaks or
cutlets
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 onion, finely sliced
¾ cup salted capers, soaked and washed
1 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup currants, soaked in a little warm water for about 15 minutes
½ cup pine nuts
2 – 3 bay leaves
500g (17oz.) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (tinned are OK)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

PROCESSES
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide pan, large enough to accommodate the fish in one layer. Shallow-fry the fish for a couple of minutes on both sides over medium-high heat to seal. Remove from the pan and set aside.

For la ghiotta, add the celery and onion to the same oil, and cook until softened, about five minutes. Stir frequently. Reduce heat to medium, then add the capers, olives, garlic, currants, pine nuts and bay leaves and stir well. Add tomatoes, season, stir, and cook for about ten minutes until some of the juice from the tomatoes has reduced.
Arrange the fish in the sauce in one layer and spoon some of the sauce over it. Cover, and cook on moderate heat until the fish is done.

Thank you Wendy for all of these wonderful photos and I am so glad that you enjoyed it.

MA2SBAE8REVW

PASTA CON SPADA E MENTA (Pasta with swordfish and mint)

Coinciding with the Long Weekend in October on Saturday Beachport had one of their regular Market Days, which are held at various times through the year.

Beachport is a small seaside town in the South East of South Australia close to Robe and Millicent. Anyone familiar with South Australian wine would know about the Limestone Coast and the Coonawarra wine regions. Both are close by. Neighbouring wine regions include Wrattonbully and Mount Benson.

On the foreshore at Beachport there is a large, impressive landmark. It is an historic property called Bompas, formerly Beachport’s original hotel. Bompas has been through many changes, but since April 2012 Sarah and Jeremy are bringing life back into this independent, boutique hotel that serves as a cafe, restaurant and bar with unique accommodation and function facilities.

The reason I am writing about Bompas is that on the October Long Weekend the menu at Bompas featured Pasta with swordfish and mint, one of the recipes in Sicilian Seafood Cooking.The weekend was also the launch of their Asian menu which proved to be very popular.

Sarah and Jeremy now have Trish, an enthusiastic, local and young chef who is very happy to be there and they are equally pleased with her.

In the traditional Sicilian recipe swordfish is the preferred fish, a dense textured fish. I prefer to use sustainable fish and use, mackerel, burramundi, flathead, rockling, yellowtail kingfish or Mahi Mahi. Shell fish also enhances the sweetness of the dish and Sarah, Jeremy and Trish used scallops. They are also looking forward to using local fish on their menu (the fishing season has just started).

Trish did an excellent job of preparing the dish, but what it taught me as the writer is that it may have been useful to include extra hints in the recipe to clarify the process of cooking. Chefs may know how to do it, but what about the person who is not familiar with Italian cooking?

There is so much more advice that the writer of recipes may need to give. For example:

The recipe contains zucchini. What I wish to say is that Italians do overcook vegetables by our standards and in this case it is fairly important that the zucchini are sliced thinly and sautéed till soft – the recipe does not say this. The cooking releases the sweet juices of the zucchini and these are also added to the pasta and contribute to the flavour the dish.

There is also a fair amount of mint, this is added in the cooking process and at the end.

An other thing is that the wine needs to be evaporated so as to caramelize the juices released by the fish when this is sautéed.

And finally, all of the ingredients need to be hot when they are mixed together; this enables the fresh cheese to soften.

For 4-6 people

INGREDIENTS
pasta, 500g, ribbed, tubular like rigatoni or similar
fish, 400g, cut into pieces (4cm)
extra virgin
olive oil, ¾ cup
white wine, ½ cup
garlic, 3 cloves, chopped
mint, fresh, 15-20 leaves
salt and pepper to taste
formaggio fresco or fresh mozzarella or bocconcini, 300g,
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

PROCESSES
Cut the cheese into small cubes and set aside.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil; add the fish or shellfish and sauté it till it is lightly coloured.
Add the garlic, wine, about a third of the mint and seasoning to the fish. Cover and cook gently till the fish is ready.
Combine fish, cheese and extra mint leaves (large leaves can be cut into smaller pieces).
Add the sauce to cooked and drained pasta, mix and and serve.

VARIATION
Add slices of 2-3 lightly fried zucchini (cooked separately in some extra virgin olive oil and added at the end). Add any juices left over from the zucchini.
To complement the green colour of the dish I sometimes sprinkle pistachio nuts on top.

I contribute a recipe for Seafoodnews a monthly publication.This is the same recipe and photo of the dish I submitted for the October issue.

MA2SBAE8REVW

SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING, ITALIANICIOUS and READER’S FEAST Bookstore. Recipe for Slow cooked goat in Nero D’Avola

This is the cover of the January – February issue of 2012 Italianicious magazine.

It is a beautiful bi-monthly publication about food and wine, Italian regional recipes, travel stories and features on Italian restaurants and chefs and cultural events both in Italy and Australia. The photos are also stunning.

The current editor, Danielle Gullaci, is continuing to develop the quality and look of the publication established by previous editor, Jane O’Connor. In the January-February issue Danielle has written a feature about me.

Ital-0112-people-Marisa-Raniolo-Wilkins-630

FUELLED BY PASSION

And these are the two beginning paragraphs:

“Although Marisa Raniolo Wilkins spent most of her early childhood in Trieste before moving to Australia with her Sicilian parents, a love for Sicilian food and culture has remained close to her heart. Her first book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking, represents eight years of hard work and a lifetime of culinary experiences.

Despite the fact that her parents both hailed from Sicily, Marisa says that she was born on the Italian island “by accident”. Marisa’s mother had lived in Catania, Sicily, before moving to Trieste in northern Italy with her siblings; and her Sicilian father (from Ragusa) was stationed in Trieste during the war, learning to be a tailor. “

I was also featured in Italianicious magazine in the November-December issue when Mary Taylor Simeti and I discussed a Sicilian Christmas at Dolcetti, Melbourne’s little gem of a pastry shop. Naturally Pastry Chef Marianna Di Bartolo contributed to the discussion and we ate some of her delectable sweets. The editor was Jane O’Connor (now group editor of all Prime Media magazines), the three camera shy women and the photographer Patrick Varney of Raglan Images all had a grand old time.

Mary Taylor Simeti is one of my heroes – I think that sometimes it takes a “foreigner ‘ with a passion to rediscover and tease out the history behind the food ( not that she is a foreigner, she is part of Sicily, having dedicated so many years to it.).

Mary and I talked to Gus about his produce at the Queen Victoria Market.

The time before that Italianicious published an article and my recipe for Caponata, that was in December 2009 – February 2010 and the editor was Glynis Macri now Director/Editor of The Italian Traveller – Food, Wine and Travel Consultant.

Mr Bianco’s recipe for Goat with Nero d’Avola (recipe from Italianicious)

2kg goat consisting of shoulder cut into 150g pieces and 4 shanks
1.5 litres Nero d’Avola wine
3 onions, chopped roughly
200ml red wine vinegar
3 carrots, chopped roughly
3 celery sticks, chopped roughly
1 garlic clove, peeled
200g prosciutto fat
5 whole tomatoes, chopped
2L reduced beef stock
20 crushed whole peppercorns
3 bay leaves

For the garnish:
12 baby carrots, peeled and roasted with olive oil, garlic and rosemary
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters, then roasted with olive oil, garlic, sliced lemon and rosemary.

Reader’s Feast Bookstore

The other nice thing that happened this week is that I went into Reader’s Feast Bookstore. Sicilian Seafood Cooking has been featured in their Summer 2002 Book Guide and has been written by Helen.

Helen is only one of the helpful, knowledgeable and personable staff who has been working with Mary Dalmau at Reader’s Feast for a very long time.

“Our bookstore will be a place of interest and enjoyment, peopled by committed and enthusiastic staff, who present a range of books to suit all visitors” Mary Dalmau, 1991

Finally my cookbook of the year is Sicilian Seafood Cooking by Marisa Raniolo Wilkins.

This incredibly substantial cookbook takes

us on a culinary odyssey through Sicily; It is

a book of love celebrating seasonal produce,

traditional recipes, methods and techniques

while providing us non Sicilians with suitable

alternative ingredients. The food is delicious

and the advice is such that you are never

alone while preparing these recipes. It’s as if

the grandmothers and aunts are beside you.

Happy Holiday Reading and Feasting.

Helen

MA2SBAE8REVW

BRACIOLINI or INVOLTINI DI PESCE – Small fish braciole stuffed with herbs, cooking demonstration at the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market

Braciolini di pesce are easily picked up with fingers and are ideal for the festive season when guests are standing around with drinks in their hands.

These make wonderful little morsels on an antipasto platter. Because they are small bracioIe and the stuffing is light – only herbs and garlic are used –fillets of small fish (with skin on) are suitable: anything from mild-flavoured whiting, stronger tasting flathead or gunard to even stronger oilier fish such as mullet or sardines.

Adelaide Showground Farmers Market is for shoppers who enjoy fresh, seasonal and regional food. It is open each Sunday from 9am-1pm.The Adelaide Showground Farmers Market also has Demo Kitchen which offers chef demonstrations and tastings of produce and wine and on Sunday Nov 27th 2011, I was able to discuss Sicilian Seafood Cooking with RozTaylor who is the Demo Kitchen Host.

Roz prepared a simple recipe from the book while I talked about some of the fresh market produce that was used in the kitchen demonstration. I also discussed some of the recipes in Sicilian Seafood Cooking and interacted with the audience.

We used fillets of Coorong mullet from Coorong Wild Seafood (Trevor Bowden). He and his wife have a stall at the ASFM.

This is the recipe:

Ingredients
750g (1lb 12oz) fish fillets
fresh herbs (rosemary, flatleaf
parsley and oregano)
garlic, finely chopped
fresh red chilli, deseeded and sliced (optional)
about ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Method
Flatten each fillet; if using steaks, cut into small pieces.
Mix the herbs, garlic, chilli and seasoning with the olive oil. Place a little
of the stuffing at one end of each fillet and roll up. If using chilli, use about
1 slice per roll in the herb stuffing.
Secure each roll with a toothpick.
Saute in extra virgin olive oil. Add seasoning and (if you wish) herbs (rosemary, bay, oregano) or whole garlic cloves or 1 finely sliced onion. A few minutes before the end of cooking, add about ½ cup white wine and reduce. Remove herbs and garlic and serve.

I also took the opportunity to discuss some of the vegetable produce from stall (Pat D’Onofrio). HIs stall is laden with a large variety of Italian vegetables.

On that particular day, Pat had puntarelle, chicory, green radicchio (called biondo) and endives – all wonderful produce where the soft centre leaves can be separated to be used in a green salad and the coarse leaves can be braised.
He also had fennel bulbs complete with long stalks of fronds- the fronds are excellent for flavouring and are a substitute for wild fennel which is used extensively in Sicilian cooking.

BRACIOLINI or INVOLTINI DI PESCE – Small fish braciole stuffed with herbs, cooking demonstration at the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market

A SEAFOOD CHRISTMAS – BUON NATALE

This morning I had the fantastic opportunity of being interviewed by Fran Kelly on ABC Radio National’s Breakfast program.

Fran asked me about how Sicilians traditionally celebrate Christmas and to suggest different menus featuring seafood and accompaniments that Australians could prepare as alternatives to the traditional turkey, chicken and ham, which are being replaced on our Christmas dinner plates.

When I am planning a Christmas lunch I consider:

Who am I feeding will they like this dish? How many? How much time do I want to spend cooking/ Hot day or cooler? What can I prepare before hand? What fish looks good at the market? Which is my focus ‘wow factor’/emphasis? (is it to be (antipasto) entrée, pasta( first course) or (second course) main?

Or would I prefer to present a selection of small courses?

In Sicilian Seafood Cooking there are many recipes that in Sicily are intended for swordfish and tuna. Although I have retained the name of the recipe I have also selected fish that are sustainable as preferable choices to endangered species.

Sicilians have simple starters – a plate of olives, some nuts and this is because they like to save their appetites for what is coming and therefore I have selected a light fish starter. They also enjoy eating pasta and this is why I have given several alternatives for the first course. For the first course there is also a rice alternative. By the time you get to the second course you may need a big rest, but I have provided two recipes.

Vegetables have not been included in this menu but they are and as well as important in Sicilian cuisine and there are very many interesting recipes in Sicilian Seafood Cooking and of course beautiful photos, not only of the recipes but as Fran said, also of Sicily.

Starter / antipasto: TONNO CUNZATO

Raw Marinated Tuna

The fish needs to be fresh and of excellent quality and sliced thinly. Keep it in the fridge while it is in the marinade. The recipes for marinating tuna suggest using a mixture of 7 parts vinegar to 3 parts lemon juice. I prefer to use just lemon juice or 9 parts lemon juice to 1 part vinegar. You may wish to experiment.

This dish is usually served as an antipasto.

Suitable fish:

The recipe is intended for bluefin tuna which is not sustainable. Any skinless fillet cut thinly can be marinated the same way.

Ingredients:

500g tuna or other thinly cut, skinless fish

Juice of 4 lemons

¼ – ½ cup white wine vinegar

Dried oregano to taste

2 spring onions (scallions) finely chopped

2-3 stalks celery (pale green stalks and leaves from heart) finely chopped

½ cup capers

¼ cup finely cut parsley

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt & freshly ground pepper

Method:

Marinate the fish in the lemon juice and vinegar, making sure that the fish is covered with the marinade. Add oregano and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

For the dressing, mix together the spring onions, celery, capers, parsley, olive oil and seasoning. When ready to serve, remove the fish from the marinade and pour the dressing on top.

First Course: RAVIOLI DI RICOTTA CU NIURU DI SICCI

Ricotta Ravioli With Black Ink Sauce

Ingredients

2 ½ cups of ricotta

Salt to taste

Extras: sugar, citrus peel or finely cut marjoram

1 quantity pasta (recipe p45)

Black ink sauce:

600g squid or cuttlefish plus 2-3 ink sacs

1 medium onion &/or 2 cloves garlic

½ cup olive oil

100g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 large tblsp tomato paste

1 cup finely cut parsley

1 cup white wine

Salt

Chilli flakes or freshly ground pepper

Clean the squid or cuttlefish carefully and extract the ink sac. Cut into 1cm rings and set aside. The tentacles can also be used.

For the sauce, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil, add the tomatoes and tomato paste, parsley, white wine and sale. Bring to the boil and reduce until the salsa is thick.

Cook the pasta.

Add the ink and chilli flakes to the sauce and mix well. Add the squid rings and cook over a medium-high heat until the squid is cooked to your liking.

Method:

Drain the ricotta

Place it in the colander lined with cheesecloth and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Mix the ricotta with a little salt and any of the extra flavourings.

Make the ravioli

The most authentic and quickest way to cut the ravioli is by hand. There is no prescribed size- can be round or square or half-moon shaped.

To make individual ravioli, cut pasta into circles or squares. Place heaped teaspoons of stuffing in the centre of each, continuing until all the stuffing is used. For half-moon shapes fold the pasta over the filling. For others lay another circle or square over the top then moisten edges with a little water and press together carefully to seal properly.

Set the finished ravioli on a lightly floured cloth. They can rest in a cool place for up to two hours.

Cooking

Cook the ravioli as you would any pasta. Lower them into water a few at a time and scoop each out when it floats to the surface.

Dress them carefully with the black ink sauce so as not to break them. Serve as is or with a scoop of ricotta or some grate pecorino.

First course: RISO CON GLI ANGELI

Rice with angels

Ingredients

400g cockles

400g mussels

3 cups arborio, carnaroli or vialone rice

3 cloves garlic, chopped

½ cup finely cut parsley

¾–1 cup extra virgin olive oil

200g (7oz) prawns, shelled

and de-veined, cut into pieces; some left whole

200g (7oz) squid (small with tentacles), cut into slices

100g (3½oz) of one or a

mixture of: crabs, lobster, Moreton bay bugs, scallops (optional)

grated pecorino

salt and red chilli flakes to taste

Method

Clean the cockles and mussels (see pages 84 and 87). Steam in a covered frying pan coated with a little oil. Once opened, shell them, but reserve some mussels in their shells. Cut up the flesh and save the juice.

While you are preparing the seafood, cook the rice (add the rice to plenty of rapidly boiling, salted water). Drain and place in serving bowl.

In a wide pan, sauté the garlic and parsley in extra virgin olive oil. Add prawns, squid (and any other seafood) and season. Stir for a few minutes, then add the clam juice. Toss for a few minutes without reducing the liquid.

Add mussels and cockles (shelled and unshelled) and heat through.

Mix the seafood with the rice. Arrange some mussels in their shells on top to look like angels with open wings. Serve with grated cheese.

First course: SPAGHETTI CON L ’ARAGOSTA

Spaghetti with crayfish

The terms lobster and crayfish are often used interchangeably, but the marine
species are lobsters and the freshwater species are crayfish. There are many
types of lobsters known by a variety of local names.

Lobsters (aragoste) are popular around Trapani, although they are
expensive. When making pasta with aragosta, I often buy spiders (the legs) –
they can be quite meaty and very suitable for a pasta dish that requires cooked
lobster. When buying lobster, select a heavy specimen with a good strong
shell. They molt several times in their life cycle and, if they are pale with a
thin shell, they are not likely to have much flesh. As for size, anything less than
1.5 kg (3lb 5oz) is not worth buying – a lobster under that size doesn’t have
enough meat, especially from the spiders.
There is no comparison between the taste of a freshly cooked lobster and
one purchased already cooked.
This dish requires cooked lobster and it is added last. The other ingredients
are raw and pounded in a mortar and pestle (or pulsed in a food processor).
The raw ingredients can also be finely chopped and mixed together. Use fresh
ripe tomatoes.
Although this recipe is especially suited for lobsters, other crustaceans
can be used.
This pasta dish is fantastic for the hot weather and it could be part of a
celebratory lunch (such as Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere).

Ingredients

Lobster, no less than 50g (1¾oz) of meat per person

Juice of 3 lemons, plus grated zest of 1 lemon

about ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic

600g (1lb 5oz) ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and drained, chopped

1 small bunch of basil

½ cup finely cut parsley

½ cup capers; if salted soaked and thoroughly rinsed

500g (17½oz) spaghetti or spaghettini

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Remove the flesh from the lobster, tear or cut into small portions and place it in a bowl with the juice of 1 lemon and some of the oil.

Use a mortar and pestle to combine the rest of the ingredients. Begin with

the garlic, then add the tomatoes, seasoning, and some more oil. Then stir in

the basil, parsley capers and, lastly, the zest of 1 lemon – stir these into the

pesto. Add some of the lemon juice, taste the pesto and add more if necessary

(you may not need all of the lemon juice).

Cook and drain the spaghetti. Arrange in a serving bowl, add the pesto

and lobster and mix it gently. I like to add more grated lemon zest on top.

Second Course: CALAMARETTI RIPIENI CON MARSALA E MANDORLE

Stuffed calamari with fresh cheese, almonds

and nutmeg braised in marsala

Ingredients

6 medium squid (or 12 small squid)

1 cup breadcrumbs, made from good-quality day-old bread, toasted in a little oil

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely cut

¼–½ teaspoon nutmeg

150g (5oz) fresh cheese (tuma, pecorino fresco, mozzarella, fior di latte or bocconcini), cut into small cubes

1 cup dry marsala

½ cup almonds, blanched and chopped

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Clean the squid: pull off the head and the inside of the squid and discard. Cut

off tentacles and save them for another time.

Mix the remaining ingredients except the oil together; check the seasoning.

Stuff the squid and secure each end with a toothpick.

Sauté each squid in olive oil – when the juice escapes it caramelises – turning once only during cooking. Alternatively, cover with foil and bake in a 200°C (400°F) oven for about 10 minutes. The squid will produce its own juice. To caramelise, remove foil and bake the squid for an extra 10 minutes.

Variation

Add chopped pistachio rather than almonds.

Second course: PESCE INFORNATO CON PATATE

Baked fish with potatoes, vinegar and anchovies

Ingredients

1–1.5kg (2lb 4oz–3lb 5oz) whole fish, or large pieces

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 onions, finely chopped a small bunch parsley, finely chopped

250g (9oz) potatoes, thinly sliced

3–6 anchovies, finely chopped (see above)

juice of 2 lemons, plus grated zest of 1 lemon

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Suitable fish

Any whole fish or large fillets of medium to firm fish, preferably with the skin

on. The fish is cooked whole and carved like meat at the table.

Method

If using whole fish or fillets with skin, make a series of slashes in the skin. Mix

the oil with the vinegar, onions and parsley. Add seasoning and marinate the

fish for about an hour, turning frequently.

Place the fish in an ovenproof dish, spoon half of the marinade over it and bake for 10 minutes in a 200°C (400°F) oven. Arrange the sliced potatoes around the fish. Sprinkle the potatoes and the fish with more marinade, the anchovies, lemon juice and grated zest. Bake for another 20–35 minutes, depending on the type of fish. Serve hot.

Variation

Place rosemary and bay leaves underneath the fish in the baking pan.

BUON NATALE A TUTTI , Marisa

MA2SBAE8REVW

BOOK SIGNING OF SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING AT READINGS (and Fennel Frittata)

Christine Gordon intros Marisa @ Readings

EVENT | Thursday 17 November 2011 at 6:30pm

Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Food, wine, book signing

Readings Hawthorn: 701 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122

The event was organised by Christine Gordon.

After this event I went home and made a wild fennel frittata and had it with a bottle of Rocky Passes Estate syrah – a very fine wine and the only bottle left over from the book signing event held in Readings in Hawthorn (Sicilian Seafood Cooking).

Friends Vitto Oles & Candi Westney own and run Rocky Passes Estate and they graciously donated the wine for the Readings event.

Vitto is the viticulturist and wine-maker of exceptionally good Syrah and Candi is just as important because she is responsible for the entertainment – the music concerts, performances and art exhibitions. Both manage the cellar door and the range of appetising Argentinian/Spanish inspired morsels (tapas) that are available when you visit their winery.

Rocky Passes Estate is at the spectacular southern end of the Strathbogie Ranges, near Seymour in Victoria. If you look at their wine label you will notice two eagles – these birds are often soaring above their very attractive property.

The winery is relatively new and had its first vintage of Syrah in 2004 and every vintage since has been highly rated by James Halliday. The winery is open Sundays 11-5pm or by appointment and Tapas also served onthe last Friday of the month as well as during art openings and special events.

I love wild fennel and when I find it I use it.

I have written about frittata in a previous post and as you see it is not difficult to make. The fennel can be replaced by any wilted green vegetable, for example spinach, endives, spring onions or asparagus.

Wild greens are superb or you can use bulb fennel, but keep the greens.You can vary the amounts of vegetables but as a general guide I would use 3-4 eggs to a cup of greens. For this frittata I used 12 eggs and it fed 4 of us (we were greedy).
Remember to use a spatula to lift the cooked part of the frittata as it cooks and release the uncooked egg. Need I say that I only use free range eggs?

Then flip it over – I used a pizza tray. Finally, slide the frittata out. At the Readings book signing event I accompanied the Rocky passes with green Sicilian olives (olive schiacciate), marinaded anchovies.

Marianna Di Bartolo from Dolcetti made more fish shaped biscuits for this occasion and once again these were perfectly matched with Brown Brothers’ Zibibbo.

And once again it was an other fine celebration for Sicilian Seafood Cooking.

LAUNCH OF SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING AT MERCATO (Baccalaru ‘o fornu – Sicilian and Baccalà al forno- Italian).

ADELAIDE LAUNCH OF SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING

After the excitement and satisfaction of the successful launch of my book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking, in Melbourne on 6 November, and book signing event at Readings Hawthorn on 17 November, I drove to Adelaide, for the launch of my book in South Australia.

The launch was hosted and organized by the team at Il Mercato, the Italian providore in the north-eastern suburb of Campbelltown, which is where my family settled after migrating from Italy. The local member and the State Minister for Education, Grace Portolese, MP introduced the South Australian event on Sunday, 20 November.

I was thrilled and honoured that respected cook and cooking teacher, Rosa Matto, agreed to launch the book in my former hometown. Rosa and I have known each other for over many years and I have always admired her cooking skills, her generosity and her commitment to sharing her knowledge of food through her cooking classes.

The launch at Il Mercato was very well attended. John Caporosa, the owner of the providore, had ordered 100 copies of Sicilian Seafood Cooking and on the day 99 were sold and signed.

I am immensely grateful to John and his team, especially Cynthia and Lina who helped to make the event a success and prepared a selection of food: there were white anchovies and arancini and Lina selected and cooked two recipes from Sicilian Seafood Cooking, the Caponata from Catania (pg 362) and the Baked baccalà (pg 193). It was presented on a ceramic spoon – practical and attractive and very suitable for this occasion.

Baccalà is cooked in many ways but this is probably my favourite – It is full of flavours and colours that can only be Sicilian. It can be presented as a main dish or as an antipasto. At Il Mercato it was served on spoons and everyone loved it.

Baccalà. has to soak for a couple of days before it is cooked, so begin preparations beforehand ( min. 24 hours but if it is extra salty it will need extra time. It can be purchased pre soaked in some stores which sell Italian and Spanish food.

INGREDIENTS

1–1.2 kg (2lb 4oz–2lb

12oz) baccalà, soaked

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup finely cut parsley

500g (17.oz) tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

(or canned)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

mixed with ½ cup water

flour for coating

½ cup salted capers, soaked and washed

½ cup sultanas or currants

½ cup pine nuts

1 cup white wine

½ cup black olives, pitted and chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Cut the baccalà into square portions and leave to dry on a paper towel.

Heat ½ cup of oil in an ovenproof casserole. Add the onion, garlic and

parsley and cook until the onion is pale golden. Add the tomatoes, the tomato

paste and seasoning and cook until thickened.

Lightly coat the baccalà with flour and fry in hot oil.

Arrange the baccalà in the casserole with the capers, sultanas, pine

nuts and ½ cup of wine. Bake in a preheated 180C (350 F) oven for

30–45 minutes. Add the rest of the wine and the olives and bake for another

15–30 minutes until cooked (the fish should flake). During cooking, check to

see if it is dry and either add more wine or water.

Variation

Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves or extra pine nuts and serve with chopped chilli and a dribble of extra virgin olive oil.
Cook any firm-fleshed fish this way. Large thick pieces are best.

LAUNCH OF SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING AT COASIT, Marisa Raniolo Wilkins – Pushing out the boat

One upon a time, when people talked about “launching” something, they were usually talking about ships and the launch usually involved some celebrity smashing a bottle of champagne across the bow and standing back to watch the hull slide down the slipway and into the water! Or spectators crossing themselves and praying for the vessel’s safe voyages.

My feelings of anticipation, excitement and relief were just as intense when Richard Cornish launched my book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking, at the Museo Italiano in Faraday Street Carlton, last Sunday (6 November).

And while Richard didn’t crack a bottle of champagne over the lectern, and I did not make the sign of the cross, there was certainly plenty of wine, food and bubbles to float my book out into bookstores, and a great crowd of well-wishers who to lent a hand to see it on its way. All of them need to be thanked.

First, thanks to the staff of CoAsIt and the Museo Italiano and especially to Carlo Carli who is the Coordinator of the Museo Italiano, and Rosaria Zarro, Italian Education Officer at CoAsIt, who hosted the launch in the spacious and well-equipped conference room in Faraday Street, Carlton.

Special thanks to Richard Cornish, award-winning author and journalist. I have always admired Richard and his writing and I am deeply honoured and seriously grateful to Richard for launching Sicilian Seafood Cooking.

Richard Cornish is best known to readers of Epicure (the Age) and Good Living (Sydney Morning Herald) for his articles on food, concentrating on ethical and sustainable production. Richard has also co-authored a series of books on Spanish cuisine with Frank Camorra, chef and owner of Melbourne’s Movida restaurants. The latest book MoVida Cocina is published in November 2011 so I know how busy he must be.

The Sponsors

Wine

The wine was generously provided by three producers – two of them, family companies, Coriole and Brown Brothers – and the other, a major producer of wines in Sicily, distributed by Arquilla Food and Wine.

Coriole [link to http://www.coriole.com] provided two varieties of Sangiovese, a wine whose Italian origins are most closely linked to Tuscany. Led by Mark Lloyd, Coriole has ventured further and further into the production of Italian varieties in their McLaren Vale vineyards, south of Adelaide. Coriole began with Sangiovese in 1987, and followed by Nebbiolo and Barbera. The experimentation has continued with plantings of Fiano (recently awarded Best McLaren Vale White Wine), Sagrantino and Nero d’Avola, which is yet to have a vintage – maybe next year.

Brown Brothers provided a sparkling Zibibbo, the Sicilian name for a grape originally named Muscat of Alexandria. You can never finish a meal in Sicily without being offered a glass of Zibibbo! Brown Brothers, who established their first vineyard at Milawa in the lower King Valley, grow the grapes for their Zibibbo at their Mystic Park Vineyard beside the Murray Valley Highway about halfway between Kerang and Swan Hill.

Arquilla supplied traditional Sicilian wines, Nero d’Avola and Frappato, produced by Feudi del Pisciotto. I first tasted the Feudi Nero d’Avola at my favourite Sicilian restaurant, Bar Idda, another fabulous family affair in the hands of Lisa and Alfredo La Spina, with Lisa’s brother Anthony managing the bar and the drinks.

Food

The book didn’t just float out on glasses of Sicilian wine. There was a selection of tasty finger-food (or as they are called in Italian, spuntini).

Fiona Rigg, who was the amazing food stylist for the book, made a Christmas caponata [made with celery]. Being very creative she made some sauces (cipollata and mataroccu) from the chapter Come Fare una Bella Figura from Sicilian Seafood Cooking. [link to http://www.fionalouise.com.au]

Lisa and Alfredo from Bar Idda contributed roasted peppers [link to http://www.baridda.com.au] l Iove to eat at their restaurant!

The highly capable pastry chef, Marianna DiBartolo, who owns Dolcetti, [link to http://www.dolcetti.com.au] a Sicilian-inspired pastry shop (pasticceria) in North Melbourne, made special fish-shaped biscuits for the occasion, which were perfectly matched with the Zibibbo.

I was really pleased to see the editors of two important publications at the launch: Agi Argyropoulos editor and publisher of Seafood News

[link to http://www.seafoodnews.com.au] which I contribute a recipe to every month. Agi held the publication so that he could include photos from the launch, which deserves a special thank you, and has given it a whole page in the November edition.

And Danielle Gullaci from Italianicious, [link to http://www.italianicious.com.au] the bi-monthly magazine which celebrates all things Italian, and which is publishing an article on me in the January-February 2012 issue.

Others I would like to thank for their contribution to the success of the launch, include:

UCG Wholesale Foods at 58 A’Beckett Street Melbourne for the Novara Mineral Water,

The Sicilian travel experts, Echoes Events [link to http://www.echoesevents.com] for the posters of Sicily and a special thank you to the photographers on the day,

David and Rilke Muir, directors and cinematographers for Making of Movies, [link to http://www.makingofmovies.com.au]

Valerie Sparks, [link to http://www.valeriesparks.com.au] and

Rita Price [link to http://www.weekendnotes.com/profile/125374/]

NEXT EVENT IN MELBOURNE

EVENT | Thursday 17 November 2011 at 6:30pm

Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Readings Hawthorn: 701 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122

Food, wine, book signing

*Entry is free but you must book before Monday by phoning: 9819 1917.

ADELAIDE

The Adelaide launch of Sicilian Seafood Cooking is at:

Il Mercato, 625 Lower North East Road, Campbelltown at 3.00pm

on Sunday 20 November.

Il Mercato specialises in Italian food, wine and culture.

If you wish to attend the launch please RSVP to Cynthia at Il Mercato:

CynthiaPorciello@ilmercato.com.au

Sicilian Seafood Cooking will be launched by Rosa Matto – a great friend and a cook I’ve admired and respected for as long as I have known her.

Rosa and I will be introduced at the launch by the newly appointed Minister for Education and Child Development in South Australia, Grace Portolesi MP, the Member for Hartley (which includes Campbelltown).

AND A BIG THANKS TO ALL WHO ATTENDED

MA2SBAE8REVW

Category: Sicilian Seafood Cooking

MERCATO 625-627 Lower North East Road Campbelltown, SA. Sicilian Cooking class, Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

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