10 MUST-TRY DISHES WHEN YOU ARE IN SICILY

Time and time again I get asked about what I recommend as must-try dishes when in in Sicily.

You may be familiar with the websites for Great British Chefs (leading source of professional chef recipes in the UK) and their second sister website – Great Italian Chefs – dedicated to celebrating the wonderful food culture, traditions and innovations of Italy’s greatest chefs.

As their website informs us:

The Italians themselves are fiercely passionate about their culinary heritage, and with good reason – a large number of the world’s best dishes come from the cities, fields and shores of this deeply cultural, historic country.

AND

Today, Sicily is one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations, and it’s the food that keeps people coming back year after year.

From Great Italian Chefs comes 10 must-try dishes when you’re in Sicily (29 September 2017).

Palermo cathedral_0095

There are really 11 dishes listed altogether as it is assumed that you already know about Arancini.

The Sicilian specialties are:

  1. Fritella
  2. Caponata
  3. Raw red prawns
  4. Busiate al pesto trapanese
  5. Pasta con le sarde
  6. Pasta alla norma
  7. Cous cous di pesce
  8. Fritto misto
  9. Involtini di pesce spada
  10. Cannoli

AND

  1. Arancini

You will find almost all of the recipes for these dishes in my blog and I have added links and some photos to the recipes in this post below. Some of the photos are from my first book Sicilian Seafood Cooking. I cooked the food, the food stylist was Fiona Rigg, Graeme Gillies was the food photographer.

Although I have no recipes on my blog for Fritto misto, Raw red prawns and Involtini di pesce spada, I have explained each of these these Sicilian specialties and where appropriate I  have links to similar recipes on my blog.

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Fritto misto

Many of you may be familiar with Fritto misto (a mixed dish of mixed fried things: fritto = fried, misto = mixed) and know that it can apply to vegetables, fish or meat. These are cut into manageable size, are dusted in flour, deep fried and served plainly with just cut lemon.

The Fritto misto I knew as a child was what we ordered in restaurants and was the one that originated from Turin (Piedmont) and Milan (Lombardy). It was a mixture of meats and offal and I particularly liked the brains. Fritto misto was originally peasant food, the family slaughtered an animal for eating (usually veal) and the organs such as sweetbreads, kidneys, brains and bits of meat became the Fritto misto –  it was a way to eat the whole animal and it was eaten as close to the slaughter and fresh as possible. Rather than having been dipped in flour the various morsels were crumbed. Seasonal crumbed vegetables were also often included –  mostly eggplant and zucchini in the warm months, cauliflower and artichokes in the cooler season.

If we wanted to eat a fish variety of Fritto misto we would order a Fritto Misto di Mare/or Di Pesce (from the sea or of fish).

Sicily is an island and Sicilians eat a lot of fish and the Fritto misto you eat in Sicily is the fish variety – fresh fish is fundamental. In the Sicilian Fritto misto you will also find Nunnata (neonata (Italian) – neonate),

Sicilians are very fond of Nunnata – the Sicilian term used to call the minute newborn fish of different species including fish, octopi and crabs; each is almost transparent and so soft that they are eaten whole.

For Sicilians Nunnata is a delicacy but these very small fish are an important link in the marine biological food chain, and that wild and indiscriminate fishing endangers the survival of some fish species.

Many Sicilian fishers and vendors justify selling juvenile fish on the grounds that they are ‘bycatch’ (taken while fishing for other species). They argue that the fish are already dead or injured, so there is no point in throwing them back. It seems that for Sicilians, ‘sustainability’ means that all fish are fair game as long as they can catch their quota. However, it is important to acknowledge that the traditional fishing for juveniles is an important activity for small-scale fishers. It only takes place for 60 consecutive days during the winter and therefore has a high socio-economic impact at local level. When in Sicily I refuse to eat this and I only encountered one restaurant in Sciacca that refused to present it to patrons who specifically asked for it.

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Fritto misto di mare or Fritto misto di pesce

For the recipe of mixed fried fish, select a variety of fish: squid and prawns, sardines/anchovies, some fleshy white fish, whitebait too. Carefully clean the prawns leaving the head attached and removing the internal alimentary canal; clean the squid and cut into rings or strips and gut the sardines /anchovies and leave the head attached if you can.

Wipe the fish dry and dip the fish a little at a time into the flour and salt, sieve or shake to remove the excess flour and fry in very hot oil until golden and crispy. I use extra virgin oil for everything. Place on paper to drain and serve hot with lemon wedges and perhaps some more salt.

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Raw red prawns 

Gambero Rosso, (Aristaeomorpha foliacea) is a Sicilian red prawn. These prawns are blood-red  and are generally wild caught in the Mediterranean.

All very fresh seafood can be eaten raw and is loved by Sicilians, usually served with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Most times the seafood is marinaded in these even if it is for a short time – the lemon juice “cooks” the fish.

See posts:

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

PESCE CRUDO, raw fish dishes in Sicily

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

Sicilian 132 Antipasto Dble Page Spread.tif.p

Involtini di pesce spada

I like to eat sustainable fish and although pesce spada (swordfish) is very popular in Sicily it is overfished.

Swordfish display in LxRm5

There are local variations for the stuffing for Involtini di pesce spada but the most common is made from a combination of dry breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, grated pecorino and sometimes capers.

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I have these recipes that are involtini (rolled fillets and stuffed).

SARDE A BECCAFICO (Sardines stuffed with currants, pine nuts, sugar and nutmeg)

MY FAMILY FEAST SBS ONE, my recipes have been selected

INVOLTINI DI PESCE (Rolled fish: Fish fillets rolled around a herb stuffing)

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

Sicilian 103 Braciulittini Small braciole stuffed w herbs.tif.p

RECIPES ON MY BLOG FOR THE FOLLOWING:

  • Fritella ( Frittedda/ Fritedda in Sicilian)

Frittedda

Jewels of Sicily

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  • Caponata

SICILIAN CAPONATA DI MELANZANE as made in Palermo (Eggplant caponata and Eggplant caponata with chocolate)

CAPONATA SICILIANA (CATANESE – Caponata as made in Catania

CAPONATA of Potatoes (General information and recipe for Caponata di patate)

Sicilian 061 Caponata Catanese.tif.p

  • Busiate al pesto trapanese

Pesto trapanese (from Tapani in Western Sicily) is also called Matarocco. Busiate is the type of pasta traditionally made by coiling a strip of pasta cut diagonally around a thin rod (like a knitting needle).

MATARROCCU, a Sicilian pesto

Sicilian 303 Pesto made w Tomatoes Basil Pinenuts.tif.p copy

  • Pasta con le sarde

PASTA CON LE SARDE (Pasta with sardines, from Palermo, made with fennel, pine nuts and currants)

PASTA CON SARDE – the baked version, Palermo, Sicily

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  • Pasta alla norma

PASTA ALLA NORMA (Pasta with tomatoes, and eggplants)

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  • Arancini

ARANCINI, Rice Balls at Caffé di Lido

ARANCINI (where else… but in Hong Kong!)

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

Arancini by Emanuel[3]

  • Cous cous di pesce
  • Cannoli

I am saddened and distressed to say that recipes for Cous Cous di pesce and Cannoli have disappeared from my blog and I can only assume that because I have transferred my blog several times to new sites these posts have been lost in the process. I will add these recipes at a later date.

In the meantime here are some photos:

Cannoli close up

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Great Italian Chefs link to 10 must-try dishes when you’re in Sicily (29 September 2017).

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.

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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)

THE SICILIAN ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA (TSAA) and Penne with pesto alla siciliana

asatrinacria

I receive quite a number of emails from readers and in September last year I received one from Rita Price who was happy to have found my blog about Sicilian food. A few emails later, Rita told me that she was a member of a newly formed group in Melbourne who wish to promote all things Sicilian.

I am now a member of this group and have asked Rita to write about the Association, which regularly sends to its members an informative newsletter; I am including one of the recipes from the first newsletter (November 2010). Recipe as told by Emma La Rosa from a recipe by Flora Corsello-Marino.

The Sicilian Association of Australia

On 24 October 2010, a group of mainly second-generation Australians with a common vision met in Melbourne to formally establish the Sicilian Association of Australia (TSAA). Their aim was to primarily promote and preserve the culture of Sicily in Australia.

Through its regular Newsletter, functions, courses and events TSAA is focussed on disseminating the unique culture of Sicily – its art, architecture, history, literature, tourism, cuisine, commerce, etc.

TSAA has also established links with the numerous Sicilian Clubs in Australia and with cultural and educational institutions that promote Sicily to the world.
Currently, TSAA has over 200 members of all ages and walks of life and invites people with a passion for Sicily to become members and therefore experience a Sicilian cultural journey through its many events, courses, trips and Newsletter. And of course you don’t have to be of Sicilian descent to join.
For more information on TSAA’s current events (Wine Appreciation Group, Sicilian Vespers Dinner, Book Club, Gala Dinner and Special Cultural Event) please contact: information@tsaa.net.au or refer to the Facebook page: The Sicilian Association of Australia

Rita Price, Secretary of TSAA

Penne with pesto alla siciliana
Serves 4
500g penne
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of basil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
100g grated parmesan cheese
50g pine nuts
500g peeled tomatoes
150g ricotta
Pepper and salt
Cut tomatoes in half, squeeze pulp and discard excess juice. Blend remaining pulp in food processor.
Add basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese, ricotta and oil. Blend until smooth.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Cook penne until al dente.
                                                                Drain and return to pot.  Add pesto and mix well.  Serve immediately with a sprig of basil.
 Trinacria
Origins of the Trinacria

Homer referred to Sicily as Thrinakie (or Thrinakrie), which means Isle with a triangle’s shape. The name then changed to Trinakria, a reference to the three promontories on the island: Capo Peloro (Messina) in the north-east, Capo Boéo or Lilibéo (Marsala) and Capo Passero (an island 75 kilometres from Siracusa) or Capo Spartivento in the south-east. The name later became Trinacria, which the poet Dante Alighieri used to refer to Sicily in his Divine Comedy. It is also the name of the three-legged figure (and TSAA logo), which is now the symbol of Sicily.

Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Trinacria bob photoshop

 

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