Tag: Sicilian Cuisine

COSTATE DI MAIALE RIPIENE: STUFFED PORK CHOPS FROM RAGUSA, SICILY

 Costate di maiale ripiene, stuffed pork chops from the province of Ragusa in south-eastern Sicily, are an example of a unique regional cooking tradition built around  the local produce  –  pork, offal, cheese and in modern times, the skills of the butcher.

Thick, bone-in pork chops are opened a libro – like a book – generously filled, sewn closed and slowly cooked with red wine and broth.

It is a substantial dish that says something about the food culture of this distinctive part of Sicily.

Ragusa and the Monti Iblei

Ragusa in Sicily is both the name of the city and of the surrounding in southern Sicily, includes towns like Ragusa, Modica, Scicli, and Chiaramonte Gulfi. It’s located in the island’s southeast corner. Much of the province lies on the Hyblaean Plateau, a limestone landscape with rolling hills, valleys, and deep ravines known as the Monti Iblei.

The area is different in some respects from the more familiar image of Sicily. Its pastoral and agricultural economy has produced a cuisine with a particularly strong association with cattle, pork, lamb, cheeses, offal, filled breads and substantial festive meat dishes.

Cattle raising and dairy farming have long been important. The renowned Ragusano DOP is a firm, stretched-curd cow’s-milk cheese, traditionally formed into large rectangular blocks and aged. Ricotta, provola and other dairy products are also deeply embedded in the local cuisine.

Sicilian cuisine developed from a strong culture of farming, livestock raising and home preservation. Meat and dairy are comfortably paired with vegetables, pulses, olive oil and wheat.

Agriculture has changed, too. In Sicily, serre are greenhouses used for intensive cultivation, particularly common in the south-east around Ragusa, Vittoria and the coastal plain. Usually covered with plastic rather than glass, they provide protected growing conditions for tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and other vegetables that are grown all year round. These have become a distinctive feature of the modern agricultural landscape.

Pork and the Food of My Father’s Family

My father’s family lives in Ragusa, a city and surrounding countryside I have visited numerous times. The region has a particularly strong reputation for pork and traditional meat cookery:

The region is renowned for its pork and traditional meat cookery, particularly hearty dishes in which very little of the animal is wasted.

Cotenne, strips of pork rind, for example, may be added to pork, often still on the bone, to enrich the flavour and texture of a slow-cooked tomato sauce for pasta. Sausages also are popular in this area and added. Pork and rind are also used to make stock for particular minestre and brothy pasta dishes, including the local specialty made with kohlrabi.

Then there is gelatina di maiale, also known locally as zuzzu or liatina. This is a traditional jellied pork preparation made from the pig’s head, including the tongue, with additional meat and plenty of rind to provide the natural gelatine.

My elderly aunt, an exceptional cook who taught me so much about Sicilian food, once made gelatina for me. She died several years ago and, these days, the extended family is quite happy to buy it from one of the many butchers who still make it. The butchers of Chiaramonte Gulfi are renowned as some of the best in the region for making gelatina.

These are intensely local dishes and sometimes seem surprisingly different from the familiar “Sicilian” repertoire presented elsewhere on the island or in general Italian cookbooks.

Costate di Maiale Ripiene — Stuffed Pork Chops

The traditional local speciality is am discussing is costate di maiale ripiene — stuffed pork chops particularly associated with Chiaramonte Gulfi.

These are no ordinary pork chops. They are cut very thick, approximately alte due dita,  two fingers thick and opened like a book, while the bone is left attached.

The filling is generous: minced or finely chopped pork, pork liver, fresh caciocavallo, hard-boiled egg and slices of local salami. In effect, the dish brings together many of the characteristic flavours of the region within a single pork chop.

Once filled, the chops are closed and sewn so that the filling cannot escape during cooking.

Traditionally, they may be browned in strutto (lard), although oil is mush more commonly used today, then braised with onion, red wine and broth until tender.

The younger members of my father’s family purchase them from a trusted butcher. I have eaten costate ripiene cooked in the traditional braised way and also roasted over a rustic wood fire. Both were exceptionally good.

This is an integral part of the cooking tradition. The dish has not only been passed down as a homemade recipe but also represents the culture of the butcher shop. The butcher expertly cuts, fills and prepares the meat, while the customer brings it home to cook.

A Dish That Belongs to the region 

What appeals to me most about costate di maiale ripiene is that the dish makes complete sense when viewed within the food culture of Ragusa.

The pork and liver reflect the traditional use of the whole animal; the caciocavallo speaks of the region’s strong dairy culture; the salami belongs to its macelleria tradition; and even the sewing of the chop tells us something about an older style of cooking in which time, skill and economy were taken for granted.

It may seem an elaborate pork chop, but it is also a small expression of the agricultural and culinary landscape of the Monti Iblei.

 Stuffed Pork tradition in Italian Cooking

Thinking about costate ripiene reminded me of a Tasting Australia event I attended in Adelaide, led by renowned Western Australian butcher Vincenzo Garreffa, founder of famous butchery called Mondo di Carne (now called Mondo).

During the event, Vincenzo demonstrated the preparation of various smallgoods and also made porchetta.

Porchetta varies considerably across central Italy. Garlic, rosemary, fennel and other herbs appear in different combinations according to place and tradition; sage is also found in some versions. Pork liver and other offal may be included, adding richness and a more robust flavour.

He boned a piglet and filled it with pork fillets, blanched almonds, pork liver, garlic, rosemary, fennel seeds, salt and pepper before rolling and securing it for roasting.

After the initial shock of seeing a whole little pig boned, filled, trussed and squeezed between racks into the oven, we all agreed  at the end that the aroma, and eventually the taste was wonderful.

An Italian Tradition of Stuffing Meat

Stuffing meat seems to be one of those lasting Italian approaches to cookery:

open it → season or fill it → close, tie, sew or roll it → cook it.

At one extreme is the whole pig used for porchetta. At the other are smaller preparations such as costate ripiene.

Other examples include arrosti ripieni (stuffed roasts), lonza farcita (stuffed pork loin), braciole (stuffed meat rolls), involtini (small meat rolls), falsomagro (Sicilian stuffed rolled beef) and numerous intensely local variations.

Despite regional differences, the underlying principle remains remarkably consistent: meat is wrapped around, folded over or opened to contain a seasoned filling, turning modest ingredients into something more substantial, flavourful and celebratory.

Anna Pomar’s RECIPE FOR Costate di Maiale Ripiene

I have several cookbooks on Sicilian cuisine, many of which are written in Italian and purchased in Sicily. However, it has been difficult to locate a recipe. The reason that it is absent is probably because it is a unique local dish distinct from the more familiar Sicilian recipes, and is therefore absent from general Sicilian or Italian cookbooks.

The recipe I found is from Anna Pomar’s La Cucina Tradizionale Siciliana., a book given to me by my cousin Rosetta who lives in Ragusa.

The cover describes the book as a collection of recipes representing lost flavours and often-forgotten traditions.

Pomar identifies costate di maiale ripiene as a famous speciality of Chiaramonte Gulfi, which, because of this speciality, had become “una delle mete predilette dei buongustai siciliani” — one of the favourite destinations of Sicilian gourmets.

That alone tells us something about the reputation these awe-inspiring stuffed pork chops.

It is only fair that I present the recipe, with the Italian version first followed by the English.

THE RECIPES in Italian and English

Italian – Costate di Maiale Ripiene 

Questa ricetta è tratta da La Cucina Tradizionale Siciliana di Anna Pomar. L’autrice presenta le costate di maiale ripienecome una famosa specialità di Chiaramonte Gulfi, “divenuto per la sua specialità una delle mete predilette dei buongustai siciliani”.

Ingredienti

6 costate di maiale
200 g di carne di maiale tritata
200 g di fegato di maiale
50 g di salame
100 g di caciocavallo fresco
2 uova sode
1 cipolla nuova
1 bicchiere di vino rosso
olio
brodo, quanto basta
sale e pepe

Preparazione

Le costate di maiale dovranno essere piuttosto doppie e aperte a libro. Non si dovrà però togliere loro l’osso.

Preparate un impasto con la carne tritata, il fegato sminuzzato, sale, molto pepe e un sorso di vino rosso. Ponetene un cucchiaio fra le due fette di ogni costata, insieme al formaggio fresco, alle uova sode e al salame affettati.

Richiudete le costate e cucitele in modo che il ripieno non fuoriesca.

Soffriggete in un tegame la cipolla grattugiata con l’olio, aggiungete le costate, sfumate con il vino e coprite con il brodo. Lasciate cuocere, coperte, per circa un’ora.

Servite con un contorno di riso condito con il sugo della carne e pezzetti di fegato.

English – Stuffed Pork Chops- Costate di Maiale Ripiene

Ingredients

6 thick bone-in pork chops
200 g minced pork
200 g pork liver
50 g salami
100 g fresh caciocavallo
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 fresh young onion
1 glass red wine
Olive oil
Broth, as required
Salt and plenty of black pepper

Preparation

The pork chops should be quite thick and cut open like a book, without removing the bone.

Prepare a mixture with the minced pork, finely chopped liver, salt, plenty of pepper and a splash of red wine. Place a spoonful between the two sides of each chop, together with slices of fresh cheese, hard-boiled egg and salami.

Close the chops and sew them securely so that the filling does not escape.

Gently fry the grated onion in oil in a saucepan. Add the stuffed chops, then pour in some wine and allow it to evaporate. Add enough broth to cover and cook, covered, for about an hour.

Serve with rice dressed with the meat juices and pieces of liver.

Gelatina/ Zuzzu/Liatina

GELATINA DI MAIALE. Pork Brawn

The Ugly Ducklings in Italian Cuisine (Scarrafoni in cucina)  

Kohlrabi

KOHLRABI, as eaten in Sicily

KOHLRABI with pasta (Causunnedda)

A WET PASTA DISH WITH KOHLRABI

GNUCCHITEDDI (Making small gnocchi shapes using my great grandmother’s device)

Porchetta

PORK, SALUMI (Smallgoods). Tasting Australia

MAIALINO ARROSTO (Roast, suckling pig)

PORK IN RAGUSA (I Ragusani mangiano molto maiale)

Mondo di Carne butchery in Western Australia, now called MONDO

Home

SQUID WITH BLACK INK SAUCE (Calamari al Nero)

Squid with Black Ink Sauce is one of those dishes that never fails to impress. With its glossy black sauce it looks dramatic, tastes intensely  flavourful and of the sea. But, despite its striking appearance, is surprisingly straightforward to prepare.

I recently prepared this dish for a friend’s first gathering. I sought a memorable, yet simple, dish that would feel generous and celebratory. It was the ideal choice.

Because I have included many photos and discussed the ingredients,  the process may look complicated. But it isn’t.

Calamari and Cuttle Fish, the differences

Calamari (squid) have long, streamlined bodies, ten tentacles (eight arms and two longer feeding tentacles) and tender, mildly sweet flesh. They cook quickly and are popular grilled, fried, stuffed or slowly braised.

Cuttlefish (seppie) are close relatives of squid but have broader, flatter bodies and firmer, sweeter flesh. They contain larger ink sacs than squid, making them the preferred choice for classic dishes such as seppie al nero, where the ink creates a rich, glossy black sauce.

Cuttle fish is more difficult to purchase, and in fact mostly impossible in the Queen Victoria market so I have used Calamari in this Recipe.

Introduction and background to squid or cuttlefish cooked in black ink

Over the years I have cooked calamari al nero many times, changing the recipe to suit the occasion. Because I know this dish well from both Trieste and Sicily, my version sits comfortably between the two traditions. It combines the rich black sauce of the northern Adriatic with the brighter flavours of southern Italy.

Calamari al nero, glossy and black and delicious!

Being winter in Melbourne, I served it with crisp baked polenta rather than pasta—a combination that always draws admiration before it is tasted. And of course polenta is northern Italian food.

A Dish Shared Across Italy

Squid or cuttlefish cooked in its own ink (calamari al nero or seppie al nero) is one of Italy’s most distinctive seafood dishes. It appears all along the Italian coastline, but each region prepares and serves it differently.

Veneto and Venice

Around Venice, seppie al nero is a classic. Cuttlefish are preferred because they have larger ink sacs. The cuttlefish is slowly braised with onion, garlic, white wine and just a little tomato until the ink produces a glossy, intensely flavoured sauce.

It is traditionally served with soft white polenta. . I used golden polenta and the contrast between the jet-black sauce and the golden polenta is as beautiful as it is delicious and perfectly balances the richness of the ink.

Trieste and Friuli Venezia Giulia

Across the northern Adriatic in Trieste and Friuli Venezia Giulia, the dish remains very much part of everyday cooking. In Italian it is called seppie in umido; in the Triestino dialect it becomes sepe in umido. It still appears regularly on the menus of traditional trattorie, especially in Trieste Vecchia, the city’s historic quarter.

Although Trieste has absorbed influences from Slovenia and the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, this dish remains unmistakably Adriatic.

Sicily

In Sicily the same dish takes on a different character. Squid is used more frequently than cuttlefish, and the sauce generally contains more tomato, fresh parsley, garlic or onion and white wine. The result is lighter, fresher and more aromatic, while the ink still provides its unmistakable depth of flavour.

Rather than polenta, Sicilians usually toss the sauce through spaghetti, sometimes serving the squid separately as a second course.

These regional differences reflect Italy’s extraordinary culinary diversity, but both result in a silky sauce with extraordinary depth and complexity.

Finding Squid Ink

Not everyone can buy squid or cuttlefish with the ink sacs intact. Most seafood is cleaned before sale and the ink is discarded.

Fortunately, nero di seppia (cuttlefish ink) is widely available from Italian delicatessens and specialist food stores. It is sold in small sachets, jars or tubes and is the same product used by many Italian cooks when fresh ink is unavailable, especially these days when the fish is mostly sold clean and cut. The ink has a long shelf life and delivers the same deep black colour and rich flavour.

If your fishmonger prepares whole squid or cuttlefish, ask whether they can save the ink sacs for you. They freeze well for several months. Simply thaw them, pierce the sac and stir the ink into the sauce towards the end of cooking.

Fresh ink has a slightly more delicate flavour, but good-quality packaged nero di seppia is an excellent substitute.

How to Clean Squid
  • Pull the head and tentacles from the body.
  • Remove the internal bone.
  • Peel away the skin and remove the fins.
  • Slit the body open.
  • Remove the innards, reserving the ink sac if present.
  • Remove the eyes and beak from the tentacles.
  • Rinse thoroughly and pat dry before slicing.
Cleaning and cutting the squid
For the polenta

Prepare your preferred polenta ahead of time so it can be baked just before serving. Information, instructions further down in this post.

Baked polenta with the compulsory crust

THE RECIPE

Squid with Black Ink Sauce (Calamari al Nero)

Ingredients

Serves 6–8

For the BRAISED squid
  • 2.5-3 kg small squid, cleaned and sliced
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 400 g tin of chopped or puréed tomatoes
  • 1-2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 4–6 sachets squid ink (4 g each), or about 3 tablespoons nero di seppia paste
  • 1 cup fish stock or water
  • Pinch chilli flakes (optional, especially if cooked in Southern Italy)
  • Fresh chilli, finely sliced, to finish
  • You can add peas – I used frozen, 2 cups. adds taste, nutrition and visual appeal.
Final addition – the fresh chilli

I also deseeded a couple of long red chillies, cut them into thin strips and put them on top of the black glossy contents.

Method

  • Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pan and gently soften the garlic.
  • Add the squid in batches so it sautés rather than steams. Cook for about 15 minutes.

  • Pour in the wine, add the tomatoes.
Adding a can of tomato puree to the squid
  • Add parsley (and cilli flakes if using). Cover and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Adding the parsley to the squid
  • Stir in the squid ink and cook for another 20 minutes or until the squid is tender.
Draining the squid from the main saucepan into another and evaporating the sauce
  • Remove the squid  from the main saucepan with a slotted spoon. Reduce the sauce until thick, glossy, black and intensely flavoured.
  • Stir in the tomato paste if further thickening is needed.
Adding a little tomato paste to thicken the sauce
  • Return the squid to the pan.
Returning the squid to the reduced sauce
  • Add the frozen peas and cook gently for a final 10 minutes.
  • Once cooked, add the strips of fresh chilli. on top.
The squid with the peas and thin strips of red chillies

ABOUT POLENTA and Baked Polenta

Types of Polenta:

Instant polenta is usually made from yellow cornmeal that has been pre-cooked and dried, so it cooks in 2–10 minutes instead of the traditional 30- 35 minutes. It produces a smooth, creamy consistency but generally lacks the depth of flavour and texture of traditionally cooked polenta. It is ideal for quick weeknight meals and can be served soft or left to set before grilling or frying.

Yellow polenta is the most common type in Italy and is made from yellow maize. When cooked slowly, it develops a rich corn flavour and can range from soft and creamy to firm enough to slice once cooled. It pairs well with hearty meat ragùs, sausages, mushrooms, game, braised dishes and robust cheeses. This is the type of polenta I stock at home.

White polenta is made from white corn and has a milder, more delicate flavour and a finer texture than yellow polenta. Traditionally associated with the Veneto and parts of Friuli Venezia Giulia, it is often served with seafood, salt cod (baccalà), cuttlefish in ink, or more delicate meat dishes. It is cooked in the same way as traditional yellow polenta but has a softer, silkier finish.

Cook the polenta according to the packet directions (traditional polenta generally takes about 30 minutes).

Pour into a well-oiled baking dish or heavy ovenproof pan. Smooth the surface, drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes until lightly crisp on top.

Serve generous slices topped with the squid and plenty of black ink sauce.

Leftover polenta is excellent fried the following day in olive oil until it develops a crisp crosta—a golden crust that Italians treasure.

The polenta waiting to be baked. It can be cooked and poured into a baking tin well before you bake it

Golden baked polenta provides the perfect contrast to the silky black ink sauce.

The polenta and squid in black ink sauce on the table, ready to be served

Finished dish with peas and strips of fresh red chillies

Serving the squid dish on each plate with the polenta
Calamari al Nero served on crisp baked polenta—a meeting of Sicilian and northern Adriatic traditions.
The squid with black ink sauce and polenta was immensely enjoyed by all

SEPPIE IN UMIDO CON POLENTA (Cuttlefish or Squid With Black Ink And Polenta from Trieste)

MONTALBANO’S PASTA WITH BLACK INK SAUCE

Polenta and its magic

NDUJA with SQUID, very simple

CALAMARETTI IN TEGAME; in Sicilian it is CALAMARICCHI ’N’TIANU (Small calamari braised with tomatoes and potatoes)

MONTALBANO’S FAVOURITE DISHES

RICOTTA RAVIOLI and STONE GROUND FLOUR

CECI (CHICKPEAS) IN SICILIA: Cucina Povera

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

Ancient Roots

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

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

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

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

A Food of Continuity, Not A SHOWPIECE

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

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

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

Santa Christina Cathedral Palermo.

Growing and Harvesting

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

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

A Note on Fresh (Green) Chickpeas — Ceci Freschi

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

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

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

How Chickpeas Are Traditionally Eaten in Sicily

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

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

Wild fennel sold in bunches.

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

2. Minestra di Ceci (Chickpea Soup)

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

3. Panelle

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

4. Ceci in Umido (Stewed Chickpeas)

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

RECIPES

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

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

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

* Ceci in Umido (Sicilian Stewed Chickpeas)

* Minestra di Ceci (Sicilian Chickpea Soup)

 

Ciciri ca Pasta a Catanisa
Chickpeas with Pasta, Catania Style

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

Ciciri ca Pasta Saccense
Chickpeas with Pasta from Sciacca

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

Facade of a building in Sciacca.

*Ceci in Umido (Sicilian Stewed Chickpeas)

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

Ingredients (serves 4)

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

Method

Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain and rinse.

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

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

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

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

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

Regional notes

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

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

Ingredients (serves 4)

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

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

Method

Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain and rinse.

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

Reserve liquid.

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

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

Add potatoes or greens if using.

Rest, season, and finish with raw olive oil.

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

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

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

OTHER RECIPES

CHICKPEAS and simple food

MUSSELS WITH CHICKPEAS

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

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

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

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

PESCE CRUDO ALLA SICILIANA WITH CITRUS AND AROMATICS

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

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

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

What Is Pesce Crudo alla Siciliana?

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

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

Choosing the Right Fish in Melbourne

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Snapper

  • Flathead tails

  • Barramundi

  • Farmed kingfish from South Australia

  • Salmon (sourced from New Zealand)

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

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

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

  • Juice of 2 lemons

  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Extra virgin olive oil

  • A handful of capers, rinsed

  • Green or black olives, chopped

  • Finely grated zest of blood orange or lemon

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

  • Fresh chilli, finely sliced (optional)

  • Roughly chopped almonds or pistachios

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

Method

Prepare the fish

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

Marinate with lemon

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

Drain and season

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

Add Sicilian flavours

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

Finish with fruit or vegetables

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

Serve immediately

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

Pesce crudo as in a Trattoria in Mondello

GREAT BRITISH CHEFS GREAT ITALIAN CHEFS WEBSITE

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

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

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

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

Read the complete article: Sicilian arancini: a complete guide

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

Other recipes on my blog about sustainable fish :

Raw fish:

PESCE CRUDO, raw fish dishes in Sicily

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

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

Sustainability

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

SUSTAINABLE SHELLFISH: Choices Shape the Sea’s Future

THE HUMBLE SARDINE, A SUSTAINABLE CHOICE

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

ADELAIDE CENTRAL MARKET AT FAIR SEAFOOD

FAIR SEAFOOD, Adelaide Central Market

Soused fish:

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

MARINADED FISH and a recipe for PESCE IN SAOR

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

SBS Italian Radio – Stuffed artichokes & photos

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.”

***Link: SBS PODCAST AND RECIPE

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 stripped
notice how I remove the tough leaves leaving the edible part on the artichoke
the stems have been trimmed and the artichokes are kept in the acidulated water
the 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 wine
ready for cooking
artichokes sitting in a fish kettle

Some recipes:

I LOVE ARTICHOKES

ARTICHOKES and how we love them; CAPONATA DI CARCIOFI

ASPARAGUS and ARTICHOKES

Melbourne; August: Winter Artichokes in risotto and stuffed

BAKED FISH WITH POTATOES, VINEGAR and ANCHOVIES

It is the season to begin thinking about fish and how to cook it to make it special.

Baked Fish With Potatoes, Vinegar And Anchovies Sicilian – Pisci o furno chi patati  is a recipe from my book Sicilian Seafood Cooking (now out of print), and it is so simple to cook that I could do it with my eyes closed.

The fish is a locally caught sustainable Snapper. You can see that I make slits in the fish’s sides and in the slits I insert a couple of anchovies. If you don’t like anchovies use fresh herbs; good for this fish are wild fennel, thyme, rosemary or tarragon.

I made the marinade and marinaded the fish in your baking tray for an hour before cooking.

In the marinade you can see that I have used consists of chopped parsley, quite a bit of onion and grated lemon peel. The liquid is: extra virgin olive oil, some wine vinegar and some lemon juice. Add a bit of salt and pepper also. I have included some quantities in the recipe below, but really, the fun of cooking is also experimenting.

Mix up the marinade and let the fish steep in it for about an hour. Turn it over a few times before you bake it. You can bake potatoes with it if you wish and the potatoes take on that lemon flavour that often Greek baked potatoes have when baked with lemon (usually cooked with chicken). The Greeks did settle in Sicily after all!

I usually part-cook my potatoes and put them in to bake with the fish about 15mins before I think the fish is ready. Raw slices of potatoes are used in the recipe and these will require longer cooking time, but do whatever you think is more practical for you.

 

PESCE INFORNATO CON PATATE/ Sicilian – Pisci o furno chi patati
Baked fish with potatoes (and vinegar and anchovies)
Ingredients
1–1.5kg (2lb 4oz–3lb 5oz) whole fish
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 or par-boiled potatoes in chunks
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, thick fillets of medium to firm fish, preferably with the skin on. The fish is cooked whole, filleted and portioned 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.
To see if the fish is cooked to your liking, you can test  the fish with a fork held at an angle. Insert it at the thickest point of the fish and twist the fork. it should flake easily.
Variation
Place rosemary and bay leaves underneath the fish in the baking pan.
See:
There is a photo in this post where I used red onion and it can look quite spectacular.

GREAT ITALIAN CHEFS’ RECIPES, 10 best Sicilian dishes

The Great Italian Chefs website is a valuable resource. As part of the Great British Chefs platform, it provides information on various Italian regions and regional recipes. The recipes are prepared by professional chefs and are highly regarded.

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I have also posted many of these recipes on my blog. You could compare their recipes with mine.

On the Great Italian Chefs website –  10 best Sicilian Dishes:

https://www.greatitalianchefs.com/features/10-best-sicilian-dishes

 

 MY RECIPES:

10 MUST-TRY DISHES WHEN YOU ARE IN SICILY

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

PESCE CRUDO, raw fish dishes in Sicily

 

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Fish Markets in Sicily.

FRITTEDDA (A sauté of spring vegetables)

Frittedda: A Traditional Sicilian Sauté of Spring Vegetables

Frittedda is one of Sicily’s finest celebrations of spring. This traditional Sicilian dish combines the season’s first artichokes, broad beans and peas, gently sautéed so that each vegetable retains its own distinctive texture and flavour—the sweetness of the peas, the slight bitterness of the artichokes and the delicate, nutty taste of the broad beans. Rather than a heavily cooked vegetable stew, frittedda is closer to a warm salad that showcases the freshness of the ingredients.

The Tradition of Frittedda in Sicily

In Sicily, frittedda is traditionally prepared in early spring (primavera), particularly around the Feast of San Giuseppe (19 March), when peas and broad beans first come into season. Although the dish is most closely associated with the north-west of the island, especially Palermo and Trapani, variations are also found in the farming districts of Caltanissetta, Enna and Agrigento, each reflecting local ingredients and traditions.

My Version of Frittedda

Because frittedda celebrates the arrival of spring, I enjoy adding fresh asparagus, although this is not part of the traditional recipe. I also occasionally add a small amount of good broth to deepen the flavour. Sicilian cooks rarely use stock, preferring to let the quality of their sun-ripened vegetables speak for themselves.

I think frittedda is best served at room temperature, much like caponata, where the flavours have had time to develop. It makes a wonderful antipasto with crusty bread, but it is equally delicious spooned over pasta for a simple spring meal.

IMG_6024
Broad beans and small purple artichokes

Frittedda

Regional Variations

Like many Sicilian dishes, frittedda changes from one province to another.

In Palermo, cooks often finish the dish with a light agrodolce of caramelised sugar and vinegar, like in the flavours of caponata.

In Enna, in the heart of Sicily, wild fennel is commonly added during cooking, giving the dish an aromatic flavour that reflects the island’s rural traditions.

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White asparagus

 

DSC_0019
Shelled fresh broad beans

FRITTEDDA

Ingredients

artichokes, about 3 young, tender
peas, 750g (250g, shelled weight)
broad beans, young, 1kg (these will result in about shelled 350g) The broad beans should be young and small — if they are not, (remove the outer peel of each bean)
asparagus (250g). Snap the bottoms from the asparagus and cut the spears into 2cm lengths
spring onions, 3-4, sliced thinly (including the green parts)
lemon, 1 for the acidulated water
extra virgin olive oil, about ½ cup
salt and pepper
white wine vinegar, ½ tablespoon or the juice of ½ lemon
sugar, about a teaspoon
fresh mint leaves, to sprinkle on top before serving

PROCESS

  1. Prepare the artichokes by removing the tough outer leaves. Young artichokes can be difficult to find in Australia, so you may need to discard more leaves than you would in Sicily.
  2. As you clean the artichokes, place them in acidulated water (the juice of 1 lemon added to water) to prevent discolouration.
  3. Quarter each artichoke, then slice each quarter thinly. Don’t discard the stems—peel away the tough outer layer and slice the tender centres.
  4. Heat a generous splash of extra virgin olive oil in a wide, heavy-based pan. Add the sliced artichokes and sauté gently for 5–7 minutes, tossing the pan rather than stirring to keep the slices intact.
  5. Taste the artichokes. If they need further cooking, add about ½ cup of water, cover the pan and cook gently for another 10 minutes, or until they are just tender when tested with a fork.
  6. Add a little more olive oil, then the spring onions, peas and broad beans. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss the vegetables gently so they cook evenly without breaking up. Cook for 5–7 minutes, adding a splash of water (or a little stock, if using) if the pan becomes too dry.
  7. Add the asparagus and cook for another 2–3 minutes, just until tender but still bright green.
  8. Transfer the frittedda to a serving bowl to prevent the vegetables from continuing to cook in the hot pan.
  9. Season with the white wine vinegar or the juice of ½ lemon. The acidity balances the natural sweetness of the vegetables. If desired, add a small pinch of sugar to enhance the sweet-and-sour balance.
  10. I sometimes grate in a little fresh nutmeg, which complements the sweetness of the peas and broad beans. Scatter fresh mint leaves over the frittedda just before serving, as mint discolours if added too early.

Serving suggestion: Frittedda is best served at room temperature, allowing the flavours to develop fully.

Variations

As with many traditional Sicilian dishes, frittedda varies from one part of the island to another.

In Palermo, cooks often finish the dish with a light agrodolce (sweet-and-sour) dressing made from caramelised sugar and vinegar, much like the seasoning used for caponata.

In Enna, in the heart of Sicily, wild fennel is added during cooking, giving the dish a distinctive aromatic flavour that reflects the island’s inland traditions.

wild fennel_0011
Wild Fennel in Sicilian market

Similar spring recipes:

PASTA e FAVE (Pasta with broad beans; a wet or dry pasta dish)

FAVE (Broad beans)

PASTA ALLA FAVORITA (Pasta with artichokes, broad beans, peas alla favorita)

TROTA CON OLIVE VERDI, LIMONE E ACCIUGHE – Pan fried trout with green olives, lemon slices and anchovies

TROTA CON OLIVE VERDI, LIMONE E ACCIUGHE – Pan fried trout with green olives, lemon slices and anchovies, is one of my favourite ways to cook trout. I also used the same ingredients to pan fry other types of fish.

Anchovies are one of the quiet flavour builders of Sicilian cooking. Rather than standing out, they melt gently into olive oil, adding a rich savoury depth that enhances fish without overpowering its delicate flavour. In Sicily, anchovies are often tucked into slashes cut into whole fish before cooking or dissolved in oil to create a simple but intensely flavoured sauce.

Because trout has soft, flaky flesh, I prefer not to slash the fish. Instead, I let the anchovies slowly dissolve in the pan with the olive oil before adding the trout, allowing their flavour to infuse the fish as it cooks.

Green olives and lemon are classic Mediterranean companions to fish, bringing brightness and a gentle acidity that balance the richness of the anchovies. For this recipe I have added fresh sage. Although sage is more commonly associated with veal and pork than with Sicilian fish dishes, I enjoy its earthy fragrance with trout. If you prefer a more traditional Sicilian flavour, rosemary is an excellent alternative.

Use good quality olives, green or light brown (not too processed or ripe).

RECIPE: TROTA CON OLIVE VERDI, LIMONE E ACCIUGHE – Pan fried trout with green olives, lemon slices and anchovies

INGREDIENTS

  • Whole fish, one large trout (for 2-3 people)
  • lemons, 1-2 whole – ends trimmed, sliced into thick circles
  • extra virgin olive oil, 2-3 tablespoons
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • anchovies, 3-6 cut finely
  • green olives, a couple of tablespoons, well drained
  • sage or rosemary

IMG_6991
Trout with olives, lemon and anchovies

PROCESS

  • Prepare the fish – clean, dry and stuff a few herbs in the cavity.
  • Add a little oil (about one tablespoon depending on your pan) to the frying pan and over medium heat. Add the lemon slices and pan fry them until lightly browned – turn once. In order to brown the lemon slices they should not be overcrowded so you may need to pan fry them in two batches.
  • Remove the lemon slices from the pan with the oil and any of the juices.

IMG_2728
Added to trout are fried lemon slices

  • Add a little more oil to the fry pan, heat it and add the anchovies. Stir them around in the pan over medium-low heat until they dissolve.
  • Add the trout. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (remember that the anchovies are salty) and add the sage. Pan fry the fish on both sides and only turn once.
  • Add the olives half way the cooking.
  • Toss the slices of lemon and the juices back in the pan and heat through.

I once cooked this dish for friends in Paris.

IMG_5868
Smeg fridge – Dolce&Gabbana

When I was in Paris a couple of months ago I saw this  hand painted Fridge in a store window. This fridge is part of  Sicily is my Love, a colourful collaboration by Smeg fridges and Dolce&Gabbana’s signature decorative style. Each of the 100 fridges illustrate Sicilian folklore in bold, vibrant colour and are hand-painted by Sicilian artists.  They were released during the Milan Design Fair, Salone del Mobile di Milano in 2016.

TROTA CON SALSA SARACINA (PAN FRIED TROUT with Saracen, green olive sauce)

SFINCI and CRISPEDDI DI RISU, for the Festa of San Giuseppe (Fritters for St Joseph’s Feast Day)

Saint Joseph’s Day (Festa di San Giuseppe) is celebrated in Italy on March 19.

Italy double dips and combines this ancient and religious tradition with Father’s Day – La Festa del Papà – the feast (celebration) for father, the event imported from America in the early 20th century. In the USA it is held on the third Sunday of June.

Saints’ name days are more significant in the south of Italy. My father, who was born in Ragusa but lived in Trieste, used to receive phone calls from his family who lived in Sicily wishing him well, “auguri” on March 19.

San Giuseppe was reputed to be a humble carpenter who looked after his family (Mary and Jesus) so it is easy to see why the Catholic church has made him the patron saint of carpenters, workers, protector of the church and of fathers, but he is also patron saint of the poor and, more mysteriously, of pastry cooks.

st joseph

I have partly explained (to myself) how pastry cooks fits under Saint Joseph’s umbrella by thinking about what happens in Sicily. The feast of Saint Joseph although in Lent (a time of fasting in the Catholic liturgy) also marks the end of the long unproductive season of winter. His feast day is close to the equinox and since pagan times spring has been celebrated big time in various ways.

Wheat (grains, seeds and legumes) were unequivocally the metaphorical seeds of life and through germination and regeneration they invoke the powers of fertility. In many parts of Sicily there are banquets to celebrate the bounty of the harvest (known as La Tavola di San Giuseppe – Saint Joseph’s Table). The main food is a collection of breads of odd shapes and sizes, many sprinkled with seeds. The food and breads on display were once shared and offered to the poor, now they are shared within the community.

Fried sweets are traditionally made in Sicily on Saint Joseph’s day. Sfinci (made with flour) and Crispeddi di Risu (made with rice) seem to be the most common and as in all Sicilian recipes there are many local variations. Sfinci are the most common and are found in the north, south and west of Sicily; some are filled with custard cream or ricotta.

In my copy of Maria Consoli Sardo’s book Cucina Nostra (1978) there is a recipe for sfinci made with semolina. She also provides a recipe for sfinci made with rice without yeast. I like her recipes because they seem genuinely authentic – uncomplicated and, as I imagine, an example of cucina povera (poor kitchen) as cooked by many Sicilians especially those living away from the larger cities on the land (see her recipe below).

Sfinci-2-465x252

Crispeddi di risu are more common in the east of Sicily, from Messina in the north; Catania on the central coast and Syracuse in the south east. I have found many recipes for crispeddi and all involve cooking rice in milk or milk and water and adding eggs or flour. Some contain yeast and others are very complicated and involve forming balls of the cooked rice and dipping them into batter before deep-frying them.

san-giuseppe-188x250

Maria Consoli Sardo calls her recipe Sfinci Di Risu (Fritelle Di Riso, in Italian).

I have used Arborio rice.

200g rice, ½ litre of milk, 200g of flour, lard for frying (how else can you make them crisp?), sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling.
Boil rice in water (does not say how much water, I used 500 ml= ½ litre. There is no mention of salt but this is common sense, as a Sicilian you would know to add a pinch.)
Halfway through cooking, add milk and finish cooking (it will have the consistency of risotto…having said this, my risotto is all’onda, ie, in waves … it should have some moisture).
Place the cooked rice in a bowl and leave it for 24 hours, add flour, mix well and let it rest. Spread the mixture out (such as on a marble slab) and after 2 hours cut it into batons and fry them in plenty of lard. After they have been fried, sprinkle them with sugar and cinnamon.
My variation to the above: I used extra virgin olive oil to fry them and dressed them with Chestnut Honey and cinnamon. (I usually have Orange Flower Honey (Sicilian) in my pantry but I have run out! The Chestnut Honey however was great!)
Honey 1

This second recipe for crispeddi di risu  is adapted from Giuseppe Coria’s Profumi di Sicilia, Il libro della cucina Siciliana. It is also a simple recipe and this one has yeast. Judging from his quantities Signor Coria must have always cooked for large numbers!

Adjust accordingly.

1 kg of rice
1 litre of milk
1 litre of boiling water
½ tsp of salt
2 tbs of sugar
500 g of plain flour
150 g of fresh yeast (or equivalent) dissolved in ½ cup warm water
grated zest of 2 oranges and 2 lemons,
honey, cinnamon powder to coat.
st joseph
Mix the milk with water, add salt and sugar and add the rice. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer on low heat stirring occasionally until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and looks like a risotto.
Cool, mix in the flour and yeast. Add the grated peel. Mix it well, cover, and let rise for 2-4 hours.
Shape the rice with a spoon and slide them into the hot oil.
When golden, place them on paper to drain for about 30 seconds and then dress them with honey and cinnamon powder.

FESTA DI SAN GIUSEPPE (SAINT JOSEPH) and sweets called Sfinci di San Giuseppe

SAINT JOSEPH’S FEAST DAY (La Festa di San Giuseppe) 19 March