The book will feature recipes for fish (primi and secondi) and vegetables and will be called Sicilian Seafood Cookbook. The photography is by Graeme Gillies and food styling by Fiona Rigg, but the book will also have photos that were shot in Sicily over my many travels.
There were approximately 70 dishes, cooked and photographed in 4.5 days. We were busy and the photographer and food stylist did an amazing job, as did the team of volunteer friends who were kitchen hands.
The kitchen and dining room of my apartment was completely taken over by ingredients, implements, cutlery, crockery and decorative props for the week. Most of the furniture was shipped out and stored with friends and neighbours – so many people pitched in to help.
I source most of my ingredients from my favourite and ever-reliable suppliers in the Queen Victoria Market. But I also travelled to the Preston and Kingston Markets for some of the more exotic things such as sea urchins (ricci) – these unfortunately were suitable for the props only and were not very edible.
I found Coorong mullets, urchin roe, wild/line caught species of fish (sustainable) from a couple of specialist, restaurant fish suppliers. I ended up buying about ten cuttlefish to extract the ink and ended up finally finding a live eel in an Asian food market in Adelaide.
Fishing the eel out of the tank was extremely dramatic. Several eels made a bid of freedom, slithering along the market floor, as the person serving me, tried his best to get to grips with one of these slippery creatures. Finally, after much wriggling and squirming, he succeeded. The vendor was ready to give me a live eel in a plastic bag until I told him that I had to fly back to Melbourne with it. I left the shop with a very fresh eel, which I only had to skin. But that is another story.
Eel- top two pieces are the skin
And in those four days that the photo shoot took place, we all worked extremely hard.
Thanks Graeme , Fiona and the friends who come to help.
The Sicilian caponata is commonly made with eggplants especially in Palermo However, my mother’s family comes from Catania where this version of caponata also contains peppers (capsicums) as one of the principal ingredients. This regional variationis also found in many other parts of Sicily and not just in the southeastern areas.I’ve enjoyed this peppery caponata in restaurants across various Sicilian cities, including Syracuse, Sciacca, Mazara del Vallo, Agrigento, Ragusa Ibla, and Caltagirone.
Apart from the main vegetables (eggplants as in Palermo or eggplants and peppers as in Catania) the principal and most common flavourings that characterise any Sicilian caponata are: celery, onion, capers, green olives and the sweet and sour, caramelised sauce made with vinegar and sugar (the agro dolce).
Sicilians love to debate the authentic version of caponata (as they do with all recipes), with each family having their own cherished version. Some prefer tomato paste instead of chopped tomatoes, while others swear by the addition of garlic or even chocolate. Nuts like almonds, pine nuts, or pistachios frequently make an appearance, and herbs such as basil, oregano, or mint vary from one recipe to another. Some versions include raisins or currants, while others add fresh pears. One neighbor of mine, whose family also from Catania, even adds a few potatoes.This is very foreign to me, but obviously it happens.
Summer and autumn are prime seasons for making caponata, as peppers and eggplants are at their peak and this is a reason why it is perfect for an Australian Christmas. However, Sicily’s climate allows for eggplants and peppers year-round, thanks to the extensive use of serre (greenhouses) that were initially installed in great numbers in 1960-1965. These have continued to grow in numbers. Sicily, followed by Spain has the highest numbers of eggplants in terms of cultivation
Caponata brings a burst of flavour and tradition to the Christmas festivities and is also served during New Year celebrations. This iconic, vibrant dish, with its rich blend of eggplants, peppers, (and to a non-Sicilian), other surprising ingredients such as capers, olives and agrodolce sauce, lifts the spirits of the season and makes the meal a celebration.
Before the serre (glasshouses), eggplants and peppers were not in season and there were versions of caponata made with green leafy vegetables (pre-cooked in boiling salted water, drained, then added to the sautéed onion, olives, capers and the agro dolce sauce). This was called the Christmas caponata. There is also a not very common version of winter caponata made with celery, almonds and sultanas that I rather like, (recipe link below).
Unlike typical side dishes, caponata is often served as a small appetizer (or a spuntino – a snack), paired with a slice of bread to mop up the juices. It is intended to whet the appetite. After enjoying this savory starter, a meal might continue with a primo (first course), a secondo (main dish), a contorno (side vegetables), a dolce (dessert) and probably more sweets.
I always fry my vegetables separately because vegetables cook at different rates and it is far better to fry or sauté food in batches than crowd the pan.
Traditionally in caponata, the celery is pre-cooked in salted, boiling water before being added to the other ingredients. However, because I like the taste of the crunchy celery I have never pre-cooked it.
The legacy of my grandmother’s caponata continues to thrive. Friends who have savored my version are now inspired to make it themselves.
I cooked caponata for my cousin, who visited me in Melbourne from the US several years ago. He and his wife were enthralled by the dish, and it stirred up fond memories of his mother’s cooking—my aunt (my mother’s sister), who died several years ago. He asked me to send him the recipe, and when he received it, he replied:
“As I read your recipe for caponata, I could smell the flavors, just like when my mother was making it.”
Now, he’s sharing the joy of caponata with his friends and family back in the US, keeping the tradition alive across the ocean.
This version of caponata was published in the summer issue of the magazine, Italianicious (Essence of Italy, Dec 2009). The summer issue was a special edition on Sicily and I was asked to contribute. Each issue of Italianicious contains information and stories about all things Italian in Italy and in Australia.
Do not feel intimidated by the long list of steps to cook it. It really is a very simple process, but it does take some time to make.
INGREDIENTS
For 4-6 people
extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup (more or less – depending how much the vegetables will absorb)
eggplants, 2 large, dark skinned variety
peppers, 3, preferably 1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow (variation of colour is mainly for appearance, but the red and yellow ones taste sweeter)
onion, 1, large, sliced thinly,
red tomatoes, 2 medium size, peeled and chopped, or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and a little water
capers, ½ cup, salted or in brine
green olives, ¾ cup, stoned, chopped
celery, 2-3 tender stalks and the pale green leaves (both from the centre of the celery)
white, wine vinegar, 2 spoonfulls
½ cup sugar,
1 tablespoon of salt (to soak the eggplants)
some freshly ground pepper and extra salt as needed
basil leaves, several
PROCESSES
Preparation of the ingredients:
Cut the eggplant into cubes (approx 30mm) – do not peel. Place the cubes into abundant water with about 1 tablespoon of salt. Leave for about 30 minutes – this will keep the flesh white and the eggplant is said to absorb less oil if soaked previously.
Prepare the capers – if they are the salted variety, ensure they have been rinsed thoroughly and then soaked for about 30 minutes before use, and then rinsed again.
Cut the peppers into slices (approx 20mm) or into rectangular shapes.Slice the onion.
Slice the celery sticks and the green leaves finely.Peel, and coarsely chop the tomatoes (or use tomato paste).
The Cooking:
Drain the eggplants and squeeze them to remove as much water as possible – I use a clean tea towel.
Heat a large frypan over medium heat with ¾ cup of the extra virgin olive oil.Add eggplant cubes and sauté until soft and golden (about 10-12 minutes). Place the drained eggplants into a large bowl and set aside (all of the vegetables will be added to this same bowl). Drain the oil from the eggplants back into the same frypan and re-use this oil to fry the next ingredients.
Add some new oil (to the left-over eggplant oil) plus a little salt and sauté the peppers, until wilted and beginning to turn brown (about 10-12 minutes). Remove the peppers from the pan and drain the oil from the peppers back into the same frypan. Place the peppers in the bowl with the eggplants.
Add a little more oil to the pan and sauté the celery gently for 5-7 minutes, so that it retains some of its crispness (in more traditional recipes, the celery is always boiled until soft before being sautéed). Sprinkle the celery with a little salt while it is cooking. Remove the celery from the pan and add it to the eggplants and peppers.
Sauté the onion, having added a little more oil to the frypan. Add a little salt and cook until translucent. Add the tomatoes or the tomato paste (with a little water) to the onions, and allow their juice to evaporate. Add the capers and olives. Allow these ingredients to cook gently for 1- 2 minutes. Empty the contents of the frypan into the bowl with the other cooked vegetables.
For the agro- dolce sauce (sweet and sour sauce):
Add the sugar to the frypan (already coated with the caramelised flavours from the vegetables). Heat it very gently until it begins to melt and bubble. Add the vinegar and evaporate. Incorporate the cooked vegetables into the frypan with the agro-dolce sauce.
Add ground pepper, check for salt and add more if necessary. Add basil leaves: these are likely to discolour and I usually remove them and replace them with fresh basil leaves at the time of serving.
Gently toss all of the ingredients over low heat for 2-3 minutes to blend the flavours.
Remove the caponata from the pan and cool before placing it into one or more containers. Store in the fridge until ready to use – it will keep well for up to one week and it improves with age.
The final touches, select from the following options and sprinkle on the top of the caponata:
Crispy pangrattato – breadcrumbs from day-old, good quality bread. The crumbs are tossed in a pan with a little hot extra virgin olive oil until they are golden, toasted and crunchy.
Pine nuts or blanched chopped almonds, toasted.
Fresh basil or mint leaves.
Eat the caponata at room temperature accompanied by good quality bread to mop up the juices.
*** I first published this post In Feb 2010.
In my Book Sicilian Seafood Cooking, there is a whole chapter devoted to Caponata – made with various vegetables.
Sicilian Seafood Cooking was first published in Nov. 2011 and republished in Dec. 2014.
Pasta with black ink sauce is one of Montalbano’s favourite dishes.
Fans of the television series Inspector Montalbano are often captivated not only by the beauty of the Sicilian landscape, but also by the abundance of traditional Sicilian dishes that appear in almost every episode. He does love his food.
Andrea Camilleri, the creator of the Montalbano novels, filled his stories with food references, knowing that Sicilian cuisine is inseparable from Sicilian culture.
Montalbano, Food and Sicily
Commissario Salvo Montalbano lives in the south-east of Sicily, near Marina di Ragusa, where many of my relatives have their holiday houses. His now-famous seaside house is in Punta Secca, a small fishing village in the comune of Santa Croce Camerina. In the series, Montalbano often sits on his terrace overlooking the sea, enjoying whatever Adelina—his devoted housekeeper and cook—has prepared for him.
Food is not merely fuel for Montalbano. He relishes every dish with appreciation and gratitude. Meals help him think, reflect, and plan his next moves. He accepts invitations readily, has favourite trattorie, and resents interruptions at dinner. Camilleri describes almost every dish Montalbano eats, and many of them are regional staples of south-eastern Sicily.
As mentioned above, among these dishes, one appears repeatedly: pasta (or rice) with black ink sauce.
Southeastern Sicily: Where Books and TV Meet
Although Camilleri lived and worked in Rome, he spent many years in Sicily and was born in Porto Empedocle. Many of the places in the Montalbano series carry fictional names but are easily recognisable. For example:
Marinella, the location of Montalbano’s seaside home, is really Punta Secca.
Vigàta corresponds to Porto Empedocle.
Fiacca is Sciacca.
Fela is Gela.
Montelusa is Agrigento.
Montalbano’s beach house is in Punta Secca.
Riicotta ravioli with black ink sauce.Photos of Ravioli and Pasta are by Graeme Gilles, stylist Fiona Rigg, from my book Sicilian Seafood Cooking.
The police station shown in the TV series is a real building in Ragusa Ibla, and many of the trattorie featured in the show proudly serve pasta (or risu) cu niuru di sicci—Sicilian pasta with cuttlefish or squid ink.
The police station in Montalbano’TV series is a building in Ragusa Ibla
Pasta with black ink sauce
When in Sicily
On one of my trips to Sicily, I ate in trattorie in Palermo frequently visited by Camilleri and his friend, the Sicilian writer Leonardo Sciascia. It seems clear that pasta or rice with black ink was one of Camilleri’s favourite dishes, appearing in several of the Montalbano novels.
In Siracusa, I once enjoyed ricotta ravioli dressed with black ink—an unforgettable flavour.
Recipe: Pasta (or Risu) cu Niuru di Sicci — Pasta with Black Ink Sauce
This classic Sicilian dish is simple but deeply flavoured, relying on the sweetness of tomatoes, the richness of squid ink, and the tender bite of squid or cuttlefish.
Ingredients
500 g pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini)
600 g squid or cuttlefish, plus 2–3 ink sacs (or use jarred nero di seppia from Italian supermarkets)
300 g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large tablespoon tomato paste
1 medium onion and/or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup finely chopped parsley
Salt (a little)
Chili flakes or freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Grated pecorino or fresh ricotta, to serve (optional)
Method
Prepare the squid: Clean carefully and extract the ink sacs if using fresh ink. Cut the squid into 1 cm rings and set aside. Tentacles can be included.
Make the sauce: Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add tomatoes, parsley, salt, white wine, and tomato paste. Simmer until the sauce reduces and thickens.
Cook the pasta.
Add the ink: Stir the squid ink into the sauce along with chili flakes or pepper. Mix well.
Cook the squid: Add the squid rings and cook over medium–high heat until just tender—a few minutes only. Italians often prefer squid cooked longer: add a splash of water, cover, and braise until soft.
Serve: Toss the pasta with the sauce. Finish with grated pecorino or a spoonful of ricotta. (If using ricotta, add it on top—mixing it through will turn it grey.)
Regional Variations
Sicilian cooking is incredibly local, and variations on this dish appear from town to town:
Keep the squid white: Sauté separately in olive oil with garlic and parsley. Fold gently through the dressed pasta and reserve a few pieces to place on top.
Add peas: Stir in 1 cup of shelled peas along with the tomatoes.
Add bay leaves: Include 1–2 bay leaves when adding the squid.
Two-tone presentation: Reserve a small amount of the tomato sauce and serve the black pasta with a spoon of red sauce and a spoon of ricotta on top.
This part of Sicily is deeply proud of its culinary heritage, and Montalbano’s Pasta with Black Ink Sauce remains one of the most iconic dishes associated with both the books and the TV adaptation.
If you find yourself travelling through Ragusa, Scicli, or Marina di Ragusa, you will have no trouble finding a trattoria ready to serve it.
LINK also contains photos of the SE part of Sicily where the the TV series and books are set:
