Tag: Sicily

SICILIAN MARKETS; use of every part of the animal

When planning a trip to Sicily, I always recommend visiting the island’s ancient open-air markets. The merchandise, the sellers who enthusiastically promote their produce in vibrant Sicilian, and the shoppers create a captivating experience.

I have seen Guttoso’s painting of the Vucciria Market hanging in the Palazzo Chiaramonte Steri, but it is also on the cover of one of my books: Il Libro D’Oro Della Cucina e Dei Vini Di Sicilia, by Pino Correnti.

Wandering through the open air  markets feels like stepping into a living museum of food culture. But when you reach the meat section, don’t be surprised to see all parts of the animal on display—intestines, organs, heads, and feet.

Everything is used to the fullest and there is always something to discuss with the sellers.

While reading about offal, I came across the term il quinto quarto—the “fifth quarter.” It comes from Roman butchering traditions, where an animal is divided into four quarters: two forequarters and two hindquarters. What remains—the head, organs, feet, blood, skin, and scraps—is known as the fifth quarter. In English, we call it “offal,” though that word doesn’t quite carry the same cultural meaning.

This is the tripe vendor in Palermo who was delighted to share information about the various types of tripe he offered: washed and unwashed tripe. He also explained how the type of pasture the animal grazed influences the tripe’s flavour, with the most favoured variety being the one that originated from the most preferred pasture.

Historically, prime cuts were sold to the wealthy, while the so-called undesirable parts were left to poorer families. For those who raised and slaughtered their own animals, selling the meat was a necessity—they cooked with what was left. But this kind of cooking, known as cucina povera, led to a rich tradition of creative and nourishing dishes. Across Italy, these parts became integral to local Italian cuisine, cooked in traditional ways. Examples include: fegato di vitello (calf’s liver), fegatini di pollo (chicken livers), trippa (tripe), piedini (trotters), coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew from Rome), animelle (sweetbreads), lampredotto (cow’s fourth stomach, loved in Florence), and milza (spleen), especially famous in Palermo.

Nowhere is this tradition is more alive than in Sicily, where nothing from the animal is wasted. Every bite carries a story, a memory, and a deep respect for what the land and sea provide. In the markets—especially around Palermo’s Ballarò and Vucciria—you see how Sicilian cuisine reflects centuries of conquest, hardship, and resilience. But above all, it reflects respect. For ingredients, for animals, and for tradition.

In Palermo, one of the most iconic Sicilian street foods is pani ca meusa—veal spleen and lung simmered in lard, served in a sesame roll.

Another vendor might be ladling out hot frittola, a traditional Sicilian street food made from leftover bits of meat such as cartilage and other offal. These are boiled, pressed, often fried in lard, and then served hot in paper cones.

You’ll also find stigghiola—lamb intestines wrapped around spring onions, grilled and seasoned with olive oil, lemon, and parsley.

In rural areas, especially around Easter, families prepare minestra di agnello, a rich soup made with lamb heart, liver, and lungs, simmered with wild herbs and foraged greens. This is similar to the Greek Easter soup magiritsa, and both reflect the themes of rebirth, sacrifice, and renewal tied to the Easter tradition.

Another favourite is budelline—lamb intestines sometimes stuffed with breadcrumbs, mint, and garlic, or simply grilled. Crisp on the outside, juicy inside.

 Then there’s trippa alla siciliana, tender strips of cow stomach stewed in tomato sauce with mint and a bit of cheese.

In the southeast, around Catania and Ragusa, you might come across zuzzu, (and gelatina) a cold meat jelly. I presented the recipe for Zuzzu as a podcast on SBS.

Below is a photo of the  hot stock rich with collagen being poured over the meat.

But the finished product can look like this:

Zuzzu is made from the pig’s head, ears, and skin—similar to coppa di testa.

From land to sea, the same Sicilian resourceful approach applies.

On the Egadi Islands, especially in Favignana, every part of the tuna is used—a tradition dating back to the Arab influence and the ritual mattanza, or tuna harvest.

The most famous and better known delicacy of tuna is bottarga—salt-cured tuna roe, shaved over pasta or served in thin slices with lemon.

But there’s more from the tuna. These can be found in Trapani and Milazzo:

  • Mascione – The tuna’s cheek, tender and rich, grilled or preserved in oil.
  • Ficazza – A cured tuna salami made from trimmings, bold and spicy.
  • Curubedda – A coarser version of ficazza, cured and sliced.
  • Tarantello – A prized cut between the belly and back, usually preserved.
  • Busunagghia – Gelatin-rich meat from near the spine, slow-cooked or cured.

Sicilian cuisine embodies the historical and cultural heritage of the island. Whether sourced from the land or the sea, every component of an animal plays a vital role, contributing to its unique flavour profile that deserves recognition.

Zuzzu/ gelatina:

SBS The Ugly Ducklings of Italian Cuisine (Scarrafoni in Cucina)

PESCE SALATO (Salted Fish in Sicily)and BOTTARGA revisited

PASTA CON BOTTARGA (Pasta with Grated Bottarga)

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

Palermo and Sicily … peeling the onion

KOHLRABI, as eaten in Sicily

As usual, I look forward to reading Richard Cornish’s regular column Brain Food in The Age on Tuesdays and today he is writing about Kohlrabi (September 7, 2021).

Just as listening to music has the power to bring up memories and reading about Kohlrabi brings up memories of Sicily.

Below are recipes from my blog that use Kohlrabi quite differently to the chefs that Richard mentions in Brain Food including David Moyle, the creative director of Harvest Newrybar near Byron Bay, and Rosalin Virnik from Anchor Restaurant in Melbourne’s Elwood.

Here’s my bit about Kohlrabi and a couple of recipes below.

Cavolo is the generic term for a range of vegetables n the Brassicaceae family.  In Italian cavoli are cauliflowers, cavolo verza is a cabbage, there is cavolo nero (Tuscan kale), cavolo rosso (red cabbage).

Just to be perverse, Kohlrabi are called just cavoli in Sicily and in Italian it is cavolo rapa..

Just to confuse things even further, Sicilians call cauliflowers broccoli.

As well as the purple coloured Kohlrabi roots there are light green ones; the root is always sold complete with the leaves and the whole plant is eaten.

One way Kohlrabi is eaten in most of Sicily and Italy is  boiled as a vegetable side dish with a dressing of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, but the preferred way is to cook it with pasta, as a wet pasta dish.

In Ragusa (Sicily) where my father’s family is from they cook it with homemade pasta called Causunedda.

See recipe and photos:

KOHLRABI with pasta (Causunnedda )

A WET PASTA DISH WITH KOHLRABI

I have also seen Kohlrabi in markets in Vietnam

KOHLRABI and TENERUMI, shared between cultures of Sicily and Vietnam.

Not Sicilian, but a good salad:

KOHLRABI, FENNEL, CELERIAC AND DAIKON MAKE A GOOD SALAD (AND OTHER RECIPES)

In another of Richard Cornish’s regular column Brain Food, he referred to Pasta Con Le Sarde, an iconic dish in Sicilian cooking.

PASTA CON LE SARDE recipes:

PASTA CON LE SARDE, Iconic Sicilian made easy

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

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

Sicilian Cunnighiu (rabbit) as cooked in Ragusa, ‘a Portuisa’ 

The Sicilian recipe for rabbit – Cunnighiu a Portuisa as cooked in Ragusa includes olives, capers, wine, and herbs. This is one of my Sicilian aunt’s favourite ways to prepare rabbit, and it remains one of the most distinctive Ragusano dishes I cook.

In dialect, cunnighiu is coniglio in Italian and simply rabbit in English, but each Sicilian province has its own name for this recipe.

Ragusa, Sicily

When I began researching the dish, I discovered that two respected Sicilian food writers refer to it differently: Giuseppe Coria calls it Cunnighiu a Portisa, while Pino Correnti spells it Cunnighiu a Portuisa. (This demonstrates the variations in the Sicilian dialect).

In Italian the Portisa and Portuisa  becomes alla Portoghese—“in the Portuguese style.” No one seems completely certain why the Portuguese are credited, but given Sicily’s long Spanish rule, the Iberian connection is clear enough. Portugal itself did not gain independence from Spain until 1640, and across the region olives, olive oil and capers abound—ingredients shared by both Sicilian and Spanish cooking.

SPANIARDS IN SICILY

Sicily was ruled by the House of Aragon (1282–1516), the Kingdom of Spain (1516–1713), the Duchy of Savoy (1713–1720), the Habsburg Monarchy (1720–1735) and the Kingdom of Naples (1735–1806).

Located on the southwestern tip of the European continent in the Iberian Peninsula are Spain, Andorra and Portugal. Portugal only gained independence from Spain in 1640. Olive oil, olives and capers are extensively used in Sicilian and Spanish cuisine.

ABOUT THE RECIPE

There are several variations of rabbit cooked alla Portoghese in Ragusa. Most versions include green olives and capers; some add white wine, others vinegar. Some cooks enrich the colour with a spoonful of tomato paste, while others add sugar or a little chilli. It’s a wonderfully adaptable recipe.

I recently cooked this dish for friends in Adelaide, and the photos say it all—golden rabbit pieces nestled with olives, capers, herbs and potatoes, the whole kitchen fragrant with wine, vinegar, wine and mint.

There are various versions of this recipe for rabbit cooked in the Portuguese style as cooked in Ragusa and most seem to contain green olives and capers. Some contain vinegar, others white wine. Some recipes suggest adding a spoonful of tomato paste (mainly to enrich the colour), some add a little sugar, others chilli.

I recently cooked this dish for friends in Adelaide, and the photos say it all—golden rabbit pieces nestled with olives, capers, herbs and potatoes, the whole kitchen fragrant with vinegar, wine and mint.

IMG_7899

THE RECIPE

To make it, I sectioned one rabbit into about five pieces and browned them gently in ½ cup extra virgin olive oil. Salting as I went,

I added green olives, capers (well-rinsed , soaked and in several changes of water if salted), 2–4 cloves garlic, fresh thyme, and, in true Ragusano style, a few fresh bay leaves.

Next came one glass of white wine mixed with ½ cup white wine vinegar, poured over the rabbit before covering the pan and letting everything simmer over low heat. A tender rabbit will cook by the time the liquid evaporates. If not, simply add a splash of water—or more wine—and continue cooking gently until soft.

For the final 20–30 minutes, I added partially cooked potatoes so they could absorb the juices. A handful of fresh mint finished the dish, providing aroma, freshness and a very typical Ragusano touch.

IMG_7900
Browned rabbit pieces in olive oil with herbs for Sicilian Cunnighiu.

If the rabbit is tender and cut into small pieces, it may be cooked by the time all the liquid evaporates. If it’s not as young or tender as you hoped (wild rabbits are tougher), and you need to cook it longer, add water, cover with a lid, and simmer gently until soft. Keep adding wine and water.

IMG_7906
Rabbit ‘a Portuisa’ with olives, capers and potatoes, cooked the Ragusano way.

One way to cook Rabbit like a Sicilian

POLLO OR GALLINA ALLA CONTADINA, ALLA PAESANA. Braised Chicken or rabbit with Olives, Sicilian style

RABBIT with cloves, cinnamon and red wine (CONIGLIO DA LICODIA EUBEA)

CONIGLIO A PARTUISA (Braised rabbit as cooked in Ragusa)

POLLO AL GUAZZETTO (Sardinian Chicken or rabbit braised with Saffron)

 

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

PASTA CON LE SARDE, an iconic Sicilian recipe from Palermo and it was the dish I prepared as a cooking presentation for the Slow Fish Festival Melbourne – Save Our Seafood, held in Spotswood–Kingsville.

IMG_1034
Pasta Con Le Sarde. The pasta is BICATINI.

Pasta con le Sarde at the Slow Fish Festival Melbourne

To everyone who attended this successful event, thank you for your interest and enthusiasm. As promised, here is an updated version of the recipe and some additional information about the ingredients that make this classic Sicilian pasta so distinctive.

Pasta con le Sarde is one of Sicily’s most celebrated seafood dishes. Originating in Palermo, it combines fresh sardines, wild fennel, pine nuts, currants, saffron and breadcrumbs in a harmonious balance of sweet and savoury flavours. It is a dish that reflects Sicily’s layered culinary history, shaped by Arab, Mediterranean and local traditions.

For those interested in the recipe itself, I have previously published two versions:

  • Pasta con le Sarde – the traditional Palermo-style version with wild fennel, pine nuts and currants.
  • Pasta con le Sarde al Forno – the baked version, a favourite for special occasions and family gatherings.
The Importance of Wild Fennel

Wild fennel (finocchietto selvatico) is one of the defining ingredients of Pasta con le Sarde. Its delicate aniseed flavour perfumes both the sauce and the cooking water used for the pasta.

Unknown
Wild fennel plant.

In Sicily, wild fennel grows abundantly in the countryside and along roadsides during spring.

Traditionally, cooks harvest the tender shoots, boil them, and then use both the fennel and the aromatic cooking liquid in the preparation of the dish.

IMG_7739
Packing wild fennel for the winter season – used to flavour the pasta water.

To preserve its flavour for use throughout the year, Sicilians often freeze the cooked fennel. or dry the seeds.

IMG_0769
Wild fennel shoots.

They also dry the seeds.

IMG_7750
Extra flavour with sachet of fennel seeds. It can be removed when you also remove the boiled wild fennel.
Wild Fennel in Sicilian Markets

During the fennel season, bunches of freshly harvested wild fennel are sold in markets throughout Sicily.

wild fennel_0011
Wild fennel sold in bunches at Catania Market.

Whether in Palermo, Catania or smaller country towns, the sight of market stalls overflowing with fennel is a reminder of the strong connection between Sicilian cooking and seasonal produce.

The fragrance alone is enough to evoke memories of traditional home cooking.

As promised, here is an update of the recipe Pasta con le Sarde I cooked at this event.

A Dish That Tells Sicily’s Story

Pasta con le Sarde is much more than a pasta dish. It reflects Sicily’s history and cultural influences.

The combination of sardines, wild fennel, currants and pine nuts illustrates the Arab contribution to Sicilian cuisine, while the use of fresh local seafood speaks of the island’s enduring relationship with the Mediterranean Sea.

Like many traditional dishes, it is a recipe that varies from family to family, yet remains unmistakably Sicilian.

IMG_7756

Flavouring the pasta water and the boiled wild fennel.

From Pasta to Timballo

One of the pleasures of Pasta con le Sarde is that leftovers can be transformed into another classic Sicilian dish: timballo di pasta.

The pasta is layered or baked in a mould and served as a substantial second meal. In many Sicilian households, yesterday’s pasta often becomes today’s timballo.

IMG_5417
Timballo, made with left over Pasta con Sarde
Pasta con le Sarde and The Leopard

During my presentation, I also referred to the famous Sicilian novel The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.

The novel, later adapted into the acclaimed film The Leopard by Luchino Visconti, captures the elegance, complexity and changing social landscape of nineteenth-century Sicily.

Like Pasta con le Sarde itself, the story is deeply rooted in Sicilian identity and tradition.

IMG_7799.jpg

 

SICILIAN PLATE -Alessi 

You will need a plate to serve it and this is what I used.

It is an Alessi Plate ( not THE Alessi, the Sicilian Alessi) They use old stencils, colours and images from the past to decorate their plates. I bought this in  the premier pottery town in Sicily – Caltagirone. It is located in central Sicily between Catania and Ragusa,

IMG_0567

 

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

PASTA CON SARDE – the baked version, Palermo, Sicily

 

SICILIAN SEAFOOD COOKING

Recipe in Sicilian Seafood Cooking, Tim White from Books For Cooks (Melbourne) may have a couple of this book left for sale in his store.

58782193-E250-4390-B559-3AE89B0C62E0

 

 

 

 

SICILIAN TORRONE made with sesame seeds (also called GIUGGIULENA/ JUJIULENA, CUBBAITA) and PASTELI and SIMSIMIYAH

What is sometimes referred to as a Sicilian torrone, one of Sicily’s most treasured traditional sweets is giuggiulena (also spelled giurgiulena, giugiulena or jujiulena), a sesame brittle that some Sicilians also call cubbaita.

Although it is sometimes grouped with torrone, it is quite different. Made with sesame seeds, honey, sugar and fragrant lemon or orange zest, it is crisp, aromatic and deeply rooted in Sicily’s culinary traditions.

In my family, the finest giuggiulena comes from my cousin Franca, who lives in Ragusa. Every Easter and Christmas, the extended family eagerly awaits its annual supply. Franca is the designated maker of giuggiulena, just as she is entrusted with preparing scacce. Other family members have their own special roles too—my elderly aunt, for example, is responsible for making the fresh pasta and ricotta ravioli for our family celebrations. These treasured food traditions have been passed from one generation to the next, with each recipe entrusted to the person who makes it best.

IMG_7541
Sesame seeds

Because giuggiulena keeps well, it is not only made for Easter and Christmas but is also kept on hand throughout the year to offer unexpected visitors. Like many traditional Sicilian recipes, it varies from one town—and often one family—to another. Some recipes are made entirely with sugar, others only with honey, while many use a combination of both. My relatives in Ragusa add cinnamon, and I have come across versions flavoured with a pinch of cumin. Almonds or pistachios are sometimes included, perhaps explaining why this sesame brittle is occasionally referred to as a Sicilian torrone.

ARAB CULTURE

Sicilians generally regard giuggiulena as part of the island’s rich Arab culinary legacy, reflecting the influence of more than two centuries of Arab rule. This connection is hardly surprising, as similar sesame sweets are enjoyed throughout the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. In Lebanon and Egypt, for example, a comparable confection is known as simsimiyah, while in Greece it is called pasteli. Each country proudly claims the sweet as its own, but they all share a long tradition of combining sesame seeds with honey or sugar to create this simple yet enduring confection.

The variety and quality of the honey you use will make a difference to the taste of giuggiulena.

Different types of honey

I used this honey to make my latest batch:

 have already written two posts about giuggiulena on this blog. One features my cousin Franca’s much-loved family recipe from Ragusa, while the other showcases the version made by Dolcetti Pasticceria in Melbourne. Its proprietor and pastry chef, Marianna, comes from a Sicilian family and continues this traditional confection with the same care and respect for its heritage.

Franca makes giuggiulena in large quantities – her recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1k honey, 1 k sesame seeds, 4 cups sugar, ½ teaspoon of each: cinnamon, cloves, grated orange peel.

PROCESSES

Melt the sugar in a large saucepan on very low heat, when sugar is melted add honey. Add sesame seeds and aromatics mix well. Remove the torrone from the heat quickly (or the sesame seeds my burn). Let cool slightly.
Pour mixture onto a tray with oiled baking paper or a marble that has been coated with oil. Spread evenly and quickly before the torrone hardens, cut into rectangular pieces before it cools and store in airtight containers. Franca often wraps pieces in cellophane paper before she distributes it.

You will find references to her recipe in: EASTER IN SICILY – A SICILIAN FEAST IN RAGUSA – RECIPES AND GIUGGIULENA

IMG_7445
Giuggiulena as named and packaged at Dolcetti

This is Dolcetti’s recipe for giuggiulena:

INGREDIENTS
250gms sesame seeds
250gms orange blossom honey
250gms sugar
250gms whole raw almonds
zest of 1 orange (not too finely grated)

METHOD
Combine the honey and sugar in a pot and stir until it begins to melt and soften.
Add the sesame seeds and almonds and cook, stirring continuously until it begins to bubble.
Let it cook and darken to a dark golden brown colour.
Add the orange zest.
Pour onto a sheet of baking paper lined with a touch of oil or oil spray or onto a lightly greased marble or granite surface.
Flatten it slightly with an oiled rolling pin.
Let it cool before cutting it into pieces.
Keep stored in airtight container.

Ital-0512-gastronomy-dolcetti-300
Marianna

You will find references to Marianna’s recipe in: GIUGGIULENA (also CUBBAITA) – a brittle Sicilian toffee of sugar and honey with sesame seeds and almonds 

Pasteli and Simsimiyah: Variations on Sicilian Giuggiulena

These variations show how widely sesame sweets are loved across the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Greek pasteli and Middle Eastern simsimiyah are close relatives of Sicilian giuggiulena, but each tradition has its own preferred balance of sesame, honey, sugar and flavouring.

In many recipes for pasteli and simsimiyah, the sesame seeds are lightly toasted separately before the hot sugar-and-honey toffee is poured over them and mixed through.

You will notice that Sicilian recipes often use equal quantities of sugar and honey, while some Greek and Middle Eastern versions use more honey than sugar. Sugar produces a harder brittle, so increasing the honey creates a softer, more chewy texture.

Greek recipes often include a little lemon juice in the sugar-and-honey mixture. Middle Eastern versions may use lemon juice, orange blossom water or vanilla; I particularly like this variation.

The sesame and toffee mixture is usually poured into a square tin lined with lightly oiled baking paper, or onto a lightly greased marble or granite surface. One recipe from Cairo suggested using a mixture of flour and oil to grease the surface, and I like this method as well.

 

 

ASPARAGUS and ARTICHOKES

It is spring in Melbourne, and artichokes (carciofi) and asparagus (asparagi) are at their seasonal best. This is the time of year when market stalls are filled with fresh, tender produce, making it the perfect opportunity to enjoy these two classic Mediterranean vegetables. Their delicate flavours capture the freshness of spring and feature prominently in many Italian, including Sicilian, kitchens.

Spring combination

While artichokes in large bunches with long stems are not as common in Australia,  short stemmed artichokes have become more prevalent in larger Australian cities. I have even observed some in supermarkets, although they are not always fresh and crisp.

Artichokes in Siracusa Sicily

Last year I was able to buy artichokes from a grower in Werribee – not far from Melbourne. Produce bought from growers is always more fragrant and it lasts for a longer time in the fridge.

Artichokes in Werribee Victoria, so fresh and in various sizes

Asparagus is one of the highlights of spring in Melbourne. The slender green spears, traditionally sold in bunches, remain the most common, but the thicker varieties—sold by weight—have become increasingly popular. Available in both green and white, these robust spears are ideal for char-grilling, a cooking method that enhances their natural sweetness and has become a favourite in contemporary restaurants and home kitchens alike.

Bunches of wild artichokes purchased in Italy

In Australia—or at least in Melbourne—we have yet to embrace the wild asparagus tradition that is so deeply rooted in Italy (see photos above and below). Wild asparagus (asparagi di bosco), with its slender stems and distinctive, slightly bitter flavour, is highly prized throughout the country. Each spring, Italians head into the countryside to forage for it, and the seasonal harvest is eagerly anticipated. It is most often cooked simply in omelettes, risottos, pasta dishes or lightly dressed with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, allowing its unique flavour to shine.

Wild asparagus sold loose

I frequently cook asparagus and artichokes together. For a gluten-free friend, I stuffed the artichokes with a paste of almond meal, parsley, garlic and one egg. I braised them in stock and white wine.

IMG_7322
Artichokes ready for stuffing with almond meal instead of breadcrumbs for a gluten free friend

I used whole potatoes to support the artichokes in an upright position. I then added asparagus a few minutes before I was ready to present the artichokes.

IMG_7324
Artichokes cooked upright with potatoes and these absorb the flavour of the artichoke and stock

Although artichokes can be cooked in various ways I mostly liked them stuffed.  as well as using potatoes and asparagus, I also like to add broad beans or peas at times. at times I have also added cooked cannellini.

IMG_0007
Artichokes stripped of their outer leaves and cooked with beans

Stripped of their tough outer leaves artichokes are perfect for eating with just a fork and a knife.

I have written many recipes for artichokes and asparagus on my blog… Use the search button and type in ‘artichokes’ if you wish to find how to clean artichokes and recipes. here are just a few:

ASPARAGI DI BOSCO and FRITTATINA (Wild Asparagus continued, and Frittata)

WILD ASPARAGUS IN SICILY AND TUNIS (ASPARAGI SELVATICI)

I LOVE ARTICHOKES

Melbourne; August: Winter Artichokes in risotto and stuffed

A QUICK PASTA DISH for Spring: artichokes, asparagus, peas

MARY TAYLOR SIMETI and her new book:SICILIAN SUMMER An adventure in cooking with my grandsons.

images

Many of you would be familiar with the writings of Mary Taylor Simeti, one of the greatest authorities on Sicilian food.  You may have a copy of her classic, in-depth, definitive book of the culinary history, traditions and recipes of Sicily called Pomp and Sustenance: Twenty Five Centuries of Sicilian Food. This was published in several editions and the same text was later republished as Sicilian Food: Recipes from Italy’s Abundant Isle.

Or you may have read her other books about Sicily:  On Persephone’s lsland: A Sicilian Journal, Travels with a Medieval Queen or Bitter Almonds: Recollections and Recipes from a Sicilian Girlhood. She has also written other books published in Italian as well as travel and food articles for various American, Italian and British publications including the New York Times and the London Financial Times.

Her new book is called SICILIAN SUMMER: An Adventure in Cooking with My Grandsons.

This time Mary takes us to her farm at Bosco, located some 40 miles west of Palermo in the hills overlooking the Gulf of Castellammare. The farm has been in the Simeti family since 1933. Mary and her husband Tonino inherited it in 1966 and is now a diversified farm of less than forty acres of vineyards, olive groves, fruit and vegetables with organic certification for their Bosco Falconeria wine, olive oil and produce.

SICILIAN SUMMER: An Adventure in Cooking with My Grandsons, is an account and photographs of the food that Mary and her 4 grandsons (aged 13, 10, 7 and 5 years) cooked over 10 intensive, continuous days for the Simeti family – Mary and Tonino Simeti (the nonni), the four grandsons and the four children’s parents. The recipes that Mary and the boys prepare are all described and they use the abundant summer produce they themselves have helped to harvest from the fields: cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, almonds, zucchini blossoms and zucchini.

And when you have abundance, you use the same vegetable to produce various dishes – there are numerous ways to eat tomatoes and the zucchini blossom is enjoyed battered, stuffed and cooked in pasta dishes.

But it is so much more than a book of recipes suitable for her grandsons of various ages. Mary captures the pleasure that family brings when the three generations of the Simeti family gather on the farm each summer and she meditates on the role food can play within the family in bonding, consolidating tradition and identity and creating memories of her own childhood and those of her children. In between memories and recollections there is a beguiling mix of a family history and an account of the development of the farm that Mary and Tonino now share with their daughter, her husband and  two grandsons.

Mary’s honesty shines through the book. She questions her skill and ability to conduct these cooking experiences and is concerned about using safe implements for her young cooks. I loved the description of the very special garlic press:

 A little boat of burnished steel, it has holes in its hull through which tiny pieces of garlic rise up as you press it into the peeled cloves rocking back and forth on a cutting board.

And I loved the description of Tonino.  Grandson Matteo when young, would only see his grandfather once a year when he visited with his parents and brother from New York. Matteo was finding it difficult to relate to Tonino as he was unaccustomed and unfamiliar to him. But Mary describes how this all changed when the young Matteo … saw his grandfather drive up to the farmhouse on a tractor, a vision that in his mind would have outshone Apollo driving up in the chariot of the sun. Familiar or not, Tonino had achieved godhood.

Mary reflects on the current plight of the world that her grandsons are growing up in and wonders about the cooking project she has undertaken with them: Am I compiling an album of childhood memories, scenes that will have some relevance to their adult lives, or will this be the record – even for them – of a lost and irretrievable Golden age? 

She hopes that these experiences in her kitchen will make these moments more significant and render their memories more indelible.

The book ends with the preparation of the last meal for Tonino’s 79th birthday celebration.

Scattered as we soon would be, the shared memory of the past ten days, the cooking and the laughing and eating together would link us firmly together. I have never felt closer to my grandchildren, more sure than our sense of family.

Could this be the last summer that the Simeti family spends together?

Sicilian Summer: An Adventure in Cooking with my Grandsons. The publication date is 25 September, but it is already available for pre-ordering on line, either in paperback form or as an ebook (search for them on line). Obviously, if you would rather support your local bookshop and help promote Mary’s writing by doing so, you could ask your favourite bookshop to order it.

Mary Taylor Simeti is one of my heroes – I think that sometimes it takes a newcomer with a passion to observe and describe and rediscover what is Sicily and tease out the history behind the food (not that she is a newcomer any longer, she is part of Sicily, an expatriate who has spent all her adult life dedicated to her new homeland and appreciating its culture).

Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Product details

  • Format Paperback | 138 pages
  • Dimensions 140 x 216 x 9mm | 231.33g
  • Publication date 25 Sep 2017
  • Publisher SilverWood Books Ltd
  • Publication City/Country Bristol, United Kingdom
  • Language English
  • Illustrations note colour photographs
  • ISBN10 1781326878
  • ISBN13 9781781326879

 

 

APPLE CAKE FOR BREAKFAST – TORTA DI MELE

 

IMG_1551

Whenever I visit my relatives in Sicily they cannot do enough for me. They fuss and fuss over my well-being and happiness and like all Italians they are constantly preoccupied about food. For them, maintaining me in a blissful state has to include the constant preparation of food.

It is common for Italians in all parts of Italy to eat light cakes at breakfast and this light cake is a torta di mele (an apple cake). It was made by my cousin Franca who lives in Ragusa (in Sicily).

Cathedral in Ragusa in the photo below.

Ragusa Cathedral_180

Franca made this in front of me and surprisingly on this occasion and for my benefit she weighed the ingredients (a bit of a rarity in an Italian/Sicilian kitchen where everything is done by estimation and touch, sight and smell.

The milk was not measured, but it was a splash, as she described.

When one encounters an Italian recipe for making cakes, listed as one of the ingredients is likely to be a proportion or a whole bustina of lievito. This is the leavening agent and each bustina (small envelope or packet) weighs 16g. In English lievito is translated as yeast, but the leavening agent in these packs is baking powder.

Italians use the same word (lievito) for yeast and baking powder – both are leavening agents but the way that they differentiate between the baking powder and dried yeast is that the packet of baking powder is likely to include a picture of a cake or/and include the phrase per dolci (for cakes). The bustina of dry yeast and will have a picture of bread or pizza on it or/and include per pane (for bread).

Fresh yeast is referred to as lievito fresco compresso (fresh compressed yeast) or lievito industrale (industrial) or lievito di birra (beer yeast).

The contents of each bustina di lievito is listed as being sufficient for 500g flour and for this cake Franca used a half of the packet.

Pears could also be used for this cake.

INGREDIENTS

250 g plain flour

8 g baking powder

150 g sugar – divided into three parts

2 eggs

75 g butter (melted)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 apples (she used Delicious apples)

grated rind of 1 lemon

a pinch of salt

a little milk (she says, as much as it takes)

icing sugar to sprinkle on top.

PROCESS

Peel and cut one apple into small, thin pieces, add the lemon rind and about one third of the sugar and set aside.

Mix the eggs with another third of the sugar, add the butter and oil and beat well – Franca used a metal spoon. Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, salt and a little milk to make a stiff batter. Fold in the pieces of apple.

Slice the other apple into thin slices – leave the peel, cut the apple in half, then into quarters and then into slices.

Pour the batter into a buttered baking pan (in Australia I use a spring back tin covered with buttered parchment paper). Place the apple slices in a radial pattern on the batter and sprinkle with the rest of the sugar.

Bake at 180C for 25 minutes and at 150C for about 20 minutes or so.

Remove from oven and let the cake cool in the pan, then sprinkle with a little icing sugar.

Franca in her kitchen.Franca MG_0272

And some fabulous Melbourne autumn fruit below:

Autumn Fruit platter hero

 

ITALIAN DRUNKEN CHICKEN – GADDUZZU ‘MBRIACU or GALLINA IMBRIAGA – depending on the part of Italy you come from

In Trieste my zia Renata used to make what she called Gallina Imbriaga (in dialect of Trieste- braised chicken in red wine), but as a child I thought that she called it by this name to make me laugh, and it did. I thought that the concept of a drunk chicken was hilarious.

Recently I decided to investigate the origins of this recipe and  it seems that  Friulani (from the region of Friuli Venezia Guilia, in a northeastern region of Italy) and i Triestini (who are part of this region) claim it as their own, but so do those from Padova (in the neighbouring Veneto region) and those from Central Italy particularly those in Umbria and Tuscany.

drunk-chicken-800x600

The recipe in each of these regions, whether it is a pollo ubriaco (drunk) and pollo in Italian being the generic word for  gallina (hen) or a galletto (young cock or rooster) seem to be cooked in a very similar way with the same ingredients – chicken cut into pieces, red wine and the following vegetables – carrot, celery, onion, garlic and parsley – all common ingredients for an Italian braise. Some marinate the chicken pieces beforehand, and as expected the wine needs to be from their region, i.e. if it is a Tuscan recipe the wine must be a Sangiovese or Chianti and if from Umbria, the choice of wine must be an Orvieto or Montefalco.

DSC055631-800x533

One recipe from Friuli  browns the chicken in butter and oil and also add brandy as well – drunken indeed if not paralytic.

Other variations are in the type of mushrooms: fresh or dry porcini or cultivated mushrooms. Rosemary is the  herb most favoured and parsley; some use sage and/ or thyme. The recipe is beginning to sound more and more like Coq Au Vin. So which came first… is it the French or the Italians ?

But I also found a recipe called Gadduzzu ‘Mbriacu (rooster) in Giuseppe Coria’s Profumi di Sicilia, and what I like about this recipe is listed as a variation – it is the addition of a couple of amaretti (almond biscuits) at the very end to flavour and thicken the sauce. Now that is a great addition!!

Coria suggests 1 onion, 1 carrot, heart of celery, 100g of porcini …. I added greater amounts of vegetables and used chicken legs (called coscie di pollo in Italian). Corai does not suggest using Nero D’Avola but this would be the preferred Sicilian wine to use.

1 chicken, cut into 6 or 8 pieces
200 g. mushrooms.
2 onions, sliced finely
2 carrots, diced
3-4 sticks from the centre of the celery, sliced thinly
½ litre of red wine
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 amaretti
Dry the chicken pieces with kitchen paper and brown them in the oil evenly. Remove them and set aside.
Sauté the onion, carrot and celery until golden in the same pan and oil .
Add the chicken, herbs, seasoning and the red wine, cover and simmer for about 20 mins.
Add mushrooms and cook everything some more till all is cooked (30-40 mins altogether).
Break up the amaretti into crumbs and add it to the sauce before serving.

 

 

 

SPAGHETTI CHI RICCI – SPAGHETTI CON RICCI DI MARE (Spaghetti with sea urchins)

Sicilian 289 Sphaghetti w Sea Urchins.tif.p
When in Sicily eating Spaghetti With Sea Urchins (Spaghetti chi Ricci) is a must.

Pasta con i ricci di mare, a Sicilian dish, captures the essence of the sea in a single mouthful. Its delicate yet intense flavour is characterised by a combination of sweet, briny, creamy and unmistakably marine.

They are relatively unknown culturally in Australia and have been next to non-existent commercially.

Sea urchins are considered a delicacy in many parts of the Mediterranean, particularly in Italy, France and Greece, and they are also highly prized in Japan. In Italy they are known as ricci di mare – “sea hedgehogs”. Ricci also means curly – the spines of sea urchins are curly at the ends.

What we commonly call sea urchin “roe” is not actually roe in the strict sense. The edible yellow-orange lobes are the reproductive organs, or gonads, of both male and female sea urchins. “Roe”, however, remains the more appetising and commonly used culinary term.

Sicily

When I was a child visiting Sicily, I remember finding sea urchins under rocks on the beach — family and friends wrapped their hands in newspaper and went looking for them at low tide. Most of the time it was very easy to find 4 to 6 sea urchins for each of us to eat raw — the urchins were simply cut in half using a very sharp knife, revealing the yellow-orange roe that was easily removed with a teaspoon and eaten from the spoon with a squeeze of lemon juice.

The next favourite method of eating them was as a dressing for pasta.

In my book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking there is a recipe for this. I had great trouble finding sea urchins to cook (and to be photographed) for my book that was published November 2011.

Sicilian 285 Sphaghetti w Sea Urchins.tif.p
Fresh sea urchins, or ricci di mare, are prized in Sicily for their rich, sweet and intensely marine flavour.

Australia’s relationship with sea urchins

Australia’s relationship with sea urchins has changed considerably since then. In some southern waters, particularly Tasmania, the long-spined sea urchin has become an ecological problem because expanding populations can graze heavily on kelp forests, creating areas known as urchin barrens.

This has produced an intriguing convergence between environmental management and food culture: harvesting edible sea urchins can provide a commercial seafood product while also contributing to efforts to reduce pressure on vulnerable marine ecosystems.

 I found it surprising that there are about 42 species of sea urchins found in Australian waters and although they can be found in many locations, only a few are good tasting. Most are exported to Japan. The market price for fresh, chilled sea urchin roe varies considerably depending on colour and texture.A creature once relatively unfamiliar on Australian tables has gradually acquired a much higher profile.

The Tasmanian sea urchin fishery is now the largest in Australia and I purchased Tasmanian roe from a specialist sea-food vendor (Ocean Made) who deals mainly with restaurateurs. I found some whole sea urchins at the Preston Market but when I opened them I found them very inferior in quality.

In the photographs (from my book Sicilian Seafood Cooking) you see the work of the photographer Graham Gilles and food stylist Fiona Rigg. I was the cook. The photo of the boats at Mondello  (Sicily, close to Palermo) is by Bob Evans.

Pasta con i Ricci di Mare – Pasta with Sea Urchin Roe

Spaghetti are traditionally used for this recipe, but I also like ricci with egg pasta, either fresh or dry  — narrow linguine  — a delicate taste, which in my opinion complement the sweet, fresh taste of the roe.

I ate my best ever pasta with sea urchins in a restaurant in Mondello (close to Palermo) and I am sure that this included lemon – grated peel and juice so I have included these in the recipe.

And one last thing — the sea urchins are not cooked and are mixed with the hot pasta at the time of serving. The aroma is indescribable. Bottarga is sometimes grated on top of the pasta and anchovies are commonly added to the sauce to accentuate the taste, but this is optional.

Ingredients

For 6 people

spaghetti, 500g. If I am using fresh pasta, I use 600g
sea urchins, 3-8 per person
garlic, 4-5 cloves, chopped finely
extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup
salt and freshly ground black pepper or chili flakes
parsley, ¾ cup cut finely
anchovies, 3 cut finely (optional)
1-2 red fresh chilies cut finely

finely grated lemon peel of 1 lemon, and the juice

½ cup of your best quality, extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top of the pasta at the end.

Preparing Whole Sea Urchins

If using whole sea urchins, handle them carefully because of the spines.

Using sturdy kitchen scissors or a short, very sharp knife, cut into the underside of the shell around the mouth opening. Open the sea urchin and carefully remove the edible yellow-orange roe with a teaspoon.

Discard the shell, internal liquid and other contents. Place the roe in a bowl and gently separate any larger pieces. It is very soft, so handle it as little as possible.

Method

Cook the pasta and while the pasta is cooking prepare the sauce.
Heat the ¾ cup of olive oil, add the garlic and over slow heat cook the garlic slowly until it becomes translucent.
Add chili and anchovies – the anchovies will dissolve in the hot oil.
Add this mixture of oil to the hot just drained pasta at the same time as the sea urchins and toss quickly to coat.
Add the parsley, lemon peel and the juice. Toss well to combine. Serve immediately and top each portion with a drizzle of your best olive oil – this is best done at the table.

*Do not return the pasta to the heat – the ricci should be warmed by the pasta, not cooked.

Final notes A Delicacy Worth Rediscovering

For me, pasta con i ricci di mare carries much more than the flavour of sea urchins. It recalls Sicily, childhood summers, people searching among the rocks, newspaper wrapped around their hands, and sea urchins opened and eaten almost where they were found.

It is also interesting that a seafood once so difficult for me to source in Australia has become part of a much larger conversation about our marine environment.

Yet the best way to understand why Italians prize ricci di mare is still the simplest: good pasta, excellent olive oil, a little garlic and parsley, and fresh sea urchin roe added at the very last moment.

Finally there has been some interest in eating Sea Urchins:
  • I was pleased to see that sea urchins will be featured in a dinner called The Delicious Pest at The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival on March 9, 2014.
  • An article in The Age (Melbourne newspaper). Date with plates sends chills down urchins spine:
Sea urchins, sometimes called sea hedgehogs, are the black, spiky creatures that lurk at the bottom of the ocean.
They prey on the kelp beds that are a vital habitat for the rock lobsters and abalone of the north-east coast of Tasmania and are considered one of the state’s worst marine pests. But have you ever thought of eating them?

Diver and seafood exporter Dave Allen has helped pioneer the sea urchin export industry in Australia and, in the process, has set about saving the reefs from being stripped bare by these pests.
Laura Banks. From Sunday Age, March 2, 2014.

RICCI, the curly ones (SEA URCHINS)

SEA URCHINS; how to clean and eat them (RICCI DI MARE)