Almonds | All Things Sicilian and more

CAPONATA DI NATALE (Christmas, winter caponata made with celery, almonds and sultanas)

Caponata di Natale is a traditional Sicilian Christmas caponata that surprises many people familiar only with the more common eggplant version.

In Sicily, caponata exists in many forms, and not all caponate contain eggplants.

This festive caponata reflects the season in which it is served. While eggplants and peppers are abundant during the Sicilian summer, they are not winter vegetables. For Christmas, some Sicilians prepare a caponata based on celery hearts, creating a dish that is lighter, fresher and particularly suited to festive meals.

It may be very different from the Christmas fare many Australians expect, but it makes a wonderful antipasto, salad or accompaniment to roasted meats and fish.

A Christmas CAPONATA – a Dish Rooted in Sicilian Seasons

One of the pleasures of Sicilian cooking is its respect for seasonal produce. Traditional Christmas tables often feature dishes that celebrate winter vegetables rather than relying on ingredients available year-round.

In many parts of Sicily, celery is the principal ingredient in Caponata di Natale. Some regional versions also include leafy winter greens such as chicory, spinach or endive.

Traditionally, the celery is boiled before being sautéed. I prefer a simpler approach: slicing the celery very finely and cooking it gently in olive oil until just softened. This preserves some of its texture and freshness while allowing it to absorb the sweet-and-sour flavours that are characteristic of Sicilian caponata.

Caponata di Natale served at room temperature—a traditional Sicilian Christmas antipasto made with celery, olives, capers and almonds

The Magic of Agrodolce

Like many Sicilian dishes, this caponata relies on the balance of agrodolce—the combination of sweet and sour flavours.

The sweetness comes from sugar and sultanas, while vinegar provides acidity. Salty capers and olives add depth, and almonds contribute richness and texture.

The result is a dish full of contrasts:

Sweet and sour
Salty and fruity
Soft and crunchy
Delicate and robust

It is these contrasts that make Sicilian caponata such a memorable dish.

Unlike the better-known eggplant caponata, this festive Sicilian version celebrates winter vegetables, especially tender celery hearts.

The sweet-and-sour agrodolce dressing brings together the distinctive flavours of capers, olives, sultanas and almonds.

Sultanas or currants are both good to use. Muscatels and raisins are OK as well, but their size may not be as visually pleasing.

Sometimes I toast the almonds, sometimes I have used pine nuts.

Prepared a day ahead, Caponata di Natale develops deeper flavours and is ideal for entertaining.

Serving Caponata di Natale

Although I often serve this caponata alongside meat or fish, I particularly enjoy it on its own at the beginning of a meal with good bread and a glass of wine.

Like most caponate, it improves with time. Preparing it a day ahead allows the flavours to develop and meld together beautifully.

Serve it at room temperature and finish it with toasted almonds or, for an extra layer of texture, a sprinkling of toasted breadcrumbs.

Caponata di Natale (Christmas Caponata)

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

1 cup blanched almonds, toasted and chopped
1 large celery heart, using only the pale inner stalks and tender leaves
1 large onion, finely chopped
¾ cup sultanas or currants
½ cup capers (salted or in brine)
¾ cup green olives, pitted and chopped
½ glass white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Prepare the Vegetables

Finely slice the celery stalks and chop the tender leaves.

Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan and gently sauté the celery and onion. Season lightly with salt and cook for about 10 minutes, or until softened.

Add the olives, sultanas and capers. Cook for a further 2 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Make the Agrodolce Sauce

Using the same pan, gently heat the sugar until it begins to melt and lightly caramelise.

Carefully add the vinegar and allow it to bubble and reduce slightly.

Return the vegetable mixture to the pan and stir well to coat everything in the sweet-and-sour sauce.

Add some of the almonds, reserving the remainder for garnish.

Rest and Serve

Transfer the caponata to a serving dish and refrigerate overnight.

Bring to room temperature before serving.

Top with the rest of the almonds or breadcrumbs when ready to serve.

A Caponata for the Festive Table – SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING

This celery-based Christmas caponata is one of the many traditional Sicilian caponate featured in my book Sicilian Seafood Cooking. It demonstrates the remarkable diversity of Sicilian cuisine and the way seasonal ingredients shape festive cooking across the island.

While it may not resemble the caponata most people expect, it remains unmistakably Sicilian—rich in contrasts, deeply rooted in tradition, and always at its best when shared, especially with guests who are only familiar with eggplant caponata.

THE MANY VERSIONS OF CAPONATE and grilled food

ARTICHOKES and how we love them; CAPONATA DI CARCIOFI

CAPONATA Catanese (from Catania) made easy with photos

SICILIAN CAPONATA DI MELANZANE from Palermo (Eggplant caponata with chocolate)

PASTA CON SARDE – the baked version, Palermo, Sicily

This is Pasta con le Sarde, the baked version, and a taste of Sicily’s history. It is one of the most iconic Sicilian dishes and consists of bucatini pasta tossed with sardines, wild fennel, pine nuts, saffron, and topped (or encased) with golden, fried breadcrumbs.

Pasta con le Sarde can be served hot or cold and is visually more impressive when baked into a tummàla, a Sicilian term derived from the Arabic. The Italian name is timballo, from the French timbale, the cooked ingredients are encased in rice, pasta or pastry. The dry breadcrumbs are used to line and cover the contents in the baking pan, the long bucatini can be coiled around the pan and together with the sardine sauce become the filling.

I’ve cooked this dish many times and it is one of those recipes that tells a tale that begins with Sicily’s layered history and whenever I make this dish, I enjoy telling this story to my guests.

A tale – a Dish Born of Conquest and Creativity

Muslim Arabs took control of North Africa from the Byzantines and Berbers and began their second conquest of Sicily in 827 from Mazara, the closest point to the African coast. By 902 they had fully conquered Sicily. The Muslims were known as Moors by the Christians and by the time of the Crusades, they were also referred to as Saracens.

When the Muslim Arabs conquered Sicily from 827 to 902 AD, they brought with them not just new rulers, but new flavours — saffron, nuts, and dried fruit. Legend has it that when Arab troops first landed on the island, their cook was told to prepare food from whatever could be foraged. The soldiers brought to the cook wild fennel and sardines, plentiful along the Sicilian coast.

The cook combined these local ingredients with his own Arabic exotic ingredients and flavours of Arabs and North Africans – the saffron, dried fruit and the nuts. And so Pasta con le Sarde was born.

To this day, it remains a quintessentially Sicilian dish, especially in Palermo. Its sweet-savoury, sea-meets-land flavour captures Sicily’s unique blend of cultures.

Baked or Fresh Pasta con le Sarde – The Sicilian ‘Tummàla’

This layered, breadcrumb-crusted bake turns simple pasta into a festive centrepiece. The recipe with slight variations is also featured in my book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking.

Wild fennel is seasonal and is not always easy to find so I use fennel bulbs. On this occasion I bought fennel bulbs with the greatest amounts of green fronds, added some ground fennel seeds and a splash of Pernod to enhance the fennel taste.

Wild fennel

If you can get wild fennel, place it into some cold, salted water (enough to cook the pasta) and boil it for 10-15 minutes (it can be left in the water for longer). The green tinged, fennel-flavoured water is used to cook the pasta — it will flavour and colour the pasta. Reserve some of the tender shoots of wild fennel raw to use in the cooking of the sauce.

Drain the cooked fennel and keep the fennel-flavoured water to cook the pasta. Some of the cooked fennel can be added to the pasta sauce.

Traditionally, wild fennel is boiled to make the aromatic water used to cook the pasta. When wild fennel is scarce, bulb fennel makes an excellent substitute. I like to boost the anise flavour with a pinch of ground fennel seeds or a splash of Pernod.

Baked Pasta con le Sarde (Serves 4–6)

I prepare Pasta con le Sarde in sufficient quantities to have some leftovers for baking. This is a particularly useful strategy when I have different guests arriving on two occasions in close proximity. It is especially advantageous around Easter and Christmas when fish is still a preferred dish on Good Friday and Christmas Eve. The leftovers can be reconfigured for the following day.

Ingredients:

500g bucatini
500g fresh sardines (fillets)
1 large fennel bulb with fronds, finely chopped
1 tsp ground fennel seeds or a dash of Pernod
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
4 anchovies, chopped
¾ cup toasted pine nuts
¾ cup toasted almonds
¾ cup currants or sultanas (soaked)
½–1 tsp saffron threads (soaked)
Salt, black pepper or chilli flakes
100g coarse breadcrumbs, made with day old, quality bread (sourdough/pasta dura), lightly tossed and toasted in oil with a little lemon zest, a little cinnamon, and sugar

Method:

Prepare the fennel and Sardines : Slice the fennel into thin slices and cut fronds finely. Cut about two thirds of the sardine fillets into thick pieces. Reserve whole fillets to go on top and provide visual impact.

Cook the sauce:

In a wide pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion until golden. Add fennel and cook until softened. Stir in pine nuts, almonds, and currants (drained). oss gently until heated.

Add the sliced sardines, salt and pepper or chili. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring gently.

Add the anchovies (try to remove any bones if there are any) and as they cook, crush them with back of spoon to dissolve into a paste. Add ground fennel seeds or a splash of Pernod to enhance the fennel taste. Add saffron (and the soaking water) and continue to stir and cook gently.

Fry the whole fillets of sardines in a separate frying pan, keeping them intact. Remove them from the pan and put aside.

The Pasta: Boil bucatini in the fennel water (if using wild fennel) until al dente.
Drain the pasta.

Combine: Toss pasta with the sauce, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and top with fried whole sardine fillets.

Timballo (Baked Version) of Pasta con le Sarde

Method:

Make more breadcrumbs using the quantities above. For a deeper crust, double the quantities. I am not a great lover of using more breadcrumbs as you see in the photos.

Line a baking tin with baking paper or foil to prevent sticking and make lifting easier. Traditionally a round shape is used.

Sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs and layer coiled bucatini, sardine mixture, more pasta, and breadcrumbs. Make the bottom and the top thick layers of breadcrumbs if you wish for a significant crust.

Sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil, cover with foil and bake in preheated 200°C for approximately 20- 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. When the dish is baked, the breadcrumbs form a crust.

The result? A fragrant, golden, fragrant dish and centuries of Sicilian history.

W ILD FENNEL, link with photos

PASTA WITH ANCHOVIES , wild fennel and breadcrumbs recipe

EASTER IN SICILY

LA VIGILIA (Christmas Eve revisited)

A SEAFOOD CHRISTMAS Feast with Fran Kelly; RADIO NATIONAL BREAKFAST PROGRAMME

MATAROCCU, a Sicilian pesto

Mataroccu is made with ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and almonds.

At this time of year basil is plentiful and many of us enjoy pasta with pesto, so it is time to revisit a post I first wrote in February, 2009 about the Sicilian pesto called Mataroccu (and also Ammogghia in some parts of Sicily).

It is made with ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and almonds.

The name pesto comes from the word for pestle or to pound , emphasising the traditional method of pounding these ingredients together to create a sauce that’s rich and sweet; it eliminates the grassy flavours that often result from a food processor.T

While most people are familiar with the classic Ligurian pesto—made with Genoese basil, pine nuts, garlic, and a blend of Parmigiano and Pecorino Sardo or Toscano. Both of these regional cheeses are sweeter in taste than the other from different regions.

Pecorino is made from sheep’s’ milk – the word pecora is Italian for sheep.

Pecorino Sardo: Mild and nutty, semi-hard.

Pecorino Romano: Sharp and salty, hard; perfect for grating.

Pecorino Toscano: Creamy and slightly sweet, semi-soft to hard.

Pecorino Siciliano: Rich and robust, hard; great for grating and traditional dishes.

Ligurians are passionate about their pesto, insisting that only basil from their sun-drenched region will do.

In contrast, Sicily offers its own unique taste and locality highlighting the best of summer’s harvest, where both basil and tomatoes thrive. Almonds, also native to Sicily, add a distinctive touch to this sauce. Mataroccu can be enjoyed tossed with pasta or drizzled over grilled vegetables.

As expected there are some slight different regional versions and name of the same pistu – (Sicilian word for pesto).

Pesto Pantesco hails from the island of Pantelleria, just southwest of Sicily. This version may use capers and sun-dried tomatoes. The incorporation of local ingredients gives Pesto Pantesco a distinctive taste that reflects the island’s rich culinary heritage.

In Trapani, there’s an interesting twist: while Mataroccu typically uses almonds, some locals prefer pine nuts rather than almonds; the pine nuts impart a creamier consistency and a subtly more nutty taste, than almonds.

When it comes to making Mataroccu as in most Sicilian recipes, there’s no need for precision; I never weigh my ingredients. Instead, aim for a balanced sauce that lightly coats your high-quality durum wheat pasta, without overwhelming it. I prefer short pasta shapes for this dish.

As I may have written at other times, in Australia we tend to overdress our pasta – the pesto should coat the pasta, but not overpower the taste.

INGREDIENTS

almonds or pine nuts, 1 cup
garlic, 8-10 cloves,
ripe tomatoes, 400g, peeled, seeded, and chopped
basil, 1 ½ cups loose leaves
parsley ½ cup, cut finely (optional)
extra virgin olive oil (your most fragrant), about 1 cup or as much as the pesto absorbs
salt, and red pepper flakes to taste

PREPARATION

In a mortar, pound the garlic with a pinch of salt until it forms a paste (you want it smooth, yet with some texture).

Gradually add a portion of the tomatoes, herbs, and a splash of olive oil, continuing to pound until combined.

Slowly incorporate the remaining ingredients until you achieve a smooth, homogeneous sauce.

Pecorino Siciliano is a good addition at time of serving, but I really appreciate the fresh taste, and although I may add it to the table at the time of serving, I don’t add it. Ricotta can also be placed on the table in time of serving, but is not very common in Sicily.

For those who prefer modern convenience, a food processor works wonders. Simply grind the nuts first, then blend in the other ingredients gradually until creamy.

Ot summer favourite:

PASTA ALLA NORMA and a variation (Pasta with tomato salsa and fried eggplants; and currants, anchovies and bottarga)

PASTA CON ZUCCHINE FRITTE (Pasta and fried zucchini)

SALSA ROMESCO (Romesco sauce, this recipe is made with roasted peppers, tomatoes and almonds)

I had some left over cooked prawns I wanted to use up and thought that a sauce would liven them up.

Salsa Romesco is said to have originated from Tarragona, a town close to Barcelona in north-eastern Spain. It is an old Roman town so you can be partly forgiven if you thought that the sauce originated from Rome.
I consulted many sources and there are so many variations to making this Catalan condiment, but the most common ingredients seem to be garlic, red peppers, tomatoes, white bread and almonds. Most interesting is that the recipes from respected food writers, e.g. in Honey From a Weed, (Patience Gray), Mediterranean Seafood (Alan Davison) and Mediterranean Food (Elizabeth David) the main ingredients are tomatoes and the peppers are either paprika or chillies or dried red pepper flakes.

Some recipes include sherry vinegar or wine (rather than wine vinegar). Some have hazelnuts or walnuts as well as the almonds.

There are a few recipes where the bread is first soaked in vinegar and then squeezed dry before it is added to the blend (like when making salsa verde) and others where the bread is toasted in the oven.

Those who are serious romesco – makers make it in a mortar and pestle and also roast or char the tomatoes. If peppers are used these are also charred. I have found references to small red peppers which are often referred to as romesco peppers in Catalonia, so perhaps this is why the name.

Because my grandmothers were Sicilian and this is a Catalan recipe, I cannot say that this is how it is made in my family, however I can give you what has worked for me. There is always room for improvement and I will keep on experimenting.

This sauce is usually associated as a condiment for shellfish and fish. It is also good with grilled and roasted vegetables (especially cold, left over ones that need dressing up the next day).

I usually add a couple of roasted tomatoes to my roasted pepper salads and I conveniently had some in the fridge left over from the night before. I keep roasted garlic covered in olive oil in the fridge, and using up ready made ingredients is often a strong reason why I make certain things in the first place.

INGREDIENTS
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 slice stale sourdough bread
2 large red peppers
1 cup blanched almonds
1 tsp smoked paprika (preferred) or sweet paprika
2 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 ripe medium size tomatoes
salt to taste
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil and ½ cup when you blend the ingredients
water (a little) to thin down the sauce

PROCESSES
Prepare the ingredients before hand:
Roast/chargrill the peppers whole, peel, remove seeds and break them into strips. If using fresh tomatoes cut them into pieces. If you are roasting / chargrilling the peppers do them at the same time.
Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a fry pan sauté the bread until golden.
Roast the garlic whole (Preheat oven to 200 °C, wrap in foil and bake). An easier option is to sauté the peeled cloves of garlic in the same frypan after you have pan-fried the bread.
Toast the blanched almonds or alternatively sauté them in the same frypan.
Place the bread, and almonds in a blender and pulverize.
Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until it forms into a thick, smooth-ish sauce. If the sauce is a too thick, add a little water to thin it down.

MA2SBAE8REVW

KID/GOAT WITH ALMONDS (SPRING IN SICILY, CAPRETTO CON LE MANDORLE)

Spring in Sicily is a celebration of renewal. In cultural and religious terms it is expressed through Easter, when Primavera (spring) and Pasqua (Easter) become almost synonymous—a joyful coming together of nature, family, tradition and food.

In Australia, spring arrives just as Sicily is entering autumn. Yet goat is available here throughout much of the year, allowing me to cook dishes that Sicilians would traditionally prepare only in springtime.

When I was a child living in Trieste, Easter in Sicily was more important that Christmas and although my family always spent time in Sicily in Summer, we would always try to visit Sicilian relatives

Across Sicily, Easter Sunday lunch often centres on young lamb or kid (capretto). Every family has its favourite preparation—roasted, braised or baked—and, as is so often the case in Italy, the “best” version is usually the one your mother cooked.

Easter Traditions from Ragusa

My father’s family comes from Ragusa in south-eastern Sicily, where Easter would not feel complete without ’mpanata ri agnieddu—a large, focaccia-like pie filled with very young lamb, bones included, and enclosed in bread dough. It is a dish that has been handed down through generations. My grandmother made it every Easter, and no doubt her mother before her.

The recipe I am sharing here comes from another part of Sicily altogether—the province of Trapani in the island’s north-west, encompassing Marsala and Mazara del Vallo.

In Australia the meat I buy is likely be considered as goat in Italy.

Saanen goat — In Italy, this would be considered a goat, rather than a kid

A Well-Loved Sicilian Recipe

This version of Capretto con le Mandorle (Kid with Almonds) is adapted from La Cucina Tradizionale Siciliana by Anna Pomar, first published in 1984.

The book has special meaning for me. It was a gift from my cousin Rosetta during one of my many visits to Ragusa. It was her own well-used copy, filled with handwritten notes and alterations in the margins—much like the treasured cookbooks I inherited from my mother. Those annotations remind me that recipes are living things, evolving as they pass from one kitchen to another.

Kid for sale in Sicilian Market. notice that it is sold with the head intact

I love the texture that the almonds provide in the thickening of this dish.

Making the Recipe My Own

The original recipe uses kid, but the meat available to me in Australia is usually sold as goat. In Italy, it would probably be considered a more mature animal and therefore benefits from a much longer cooking time.

As with many traditional recipes, I have adapted it to suit my own taste. I use extra onions, bay leaves, homemade stock instead of water, and dry Marsala rather than simply relying on the tomatoes for flavour.

Does that make it a different recipe? I don’t think so. It simply reflects what generations of home cooks have always done—respect tradition while quietly making it their own.

One element I would never change is the almonds. Ground almonds enrich the sauce, giving it a beautiful silky texture and a delicate sweetness that balances the richness of the meat. It is this combination that makes the dish unmistakably Sicilian.

Ingredients

3 kg kid or goat, cut into serving pieces with some bone attached
2 onions, finely sliced
3–4 bay leaves
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup dry Marsala (Marsala Fine) or dry white wine
3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or equivalent canned tomatoes)
300 g blanched almonds, finely ground
About 3 cups good stock or broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Trim any excess fat from the meat and pat it dry.
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based casserole. Add the meat and onions, browning them lightly.
Pour in the Marsala and allow it to reduce slightly, scraping up any caramelised bits from the base of the pan.
Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, stock, salt and pepper.
Cover and cook gently until the meat is very tender. Anna Pomar suggests about 45 minutes for young kid, but Australian goat usually requires 1½–2 hours, or until the meat comes away easily from the bone. *If you are cooking goat, cook it for longer.
Stir in the ground almonds and cook gently for another few minutes until the sauce thickens. If it becomes too thick, loosen it with a little extra stock.

Serve hot, although many Sicilians would happily enjoy this dish only slightly warm—a reminder that in Sicily good food is savoured rather than rushed.

goatseller_0092-403x600 — Market in Sicily, kid hanging up, ready to be chopped into suitable pieces by the butcher

‘MPANATA (A lamb pie, Easter treat)

EASTER (Pasqua) in Sicily

RICETTE per capretto (e capra); Recipes for slow cooked kid and goat

OVEN COOKED KID (capretto)

EASTER IN SICILY: Faith, Spring, History and Cassata

Tag: Almonds

CAPONATA DI NATALE (Christmas, winter caponata made with celery, almonds and sultanas)