My Perfect Sicilian Valentines Menu

There is an important date around the corner and this 14th February, due to Covid, we will all have to enjoy Valentines Day, or in Italian 'San Valentino' in a different way to usual as there can be no romantic city breaks in Sicily and no romantic meals in Sicilian restaurants. So a cosy night in with a delicious home cooked meal it is then.

Sicily is where Europe ends and Africa begins. It began its history as part of Ancient Greece and soon became part of the Roman Empire. Thereafter the island was invaded by the Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, French, Spanish and Bourbons before unifying with Italy. Each conquest left its mark on the island and its cuisine.

Being an island Sicily has wonderful fish and seafood and when eating a meal in a restaurant you will find that the fish you are eating was caught that morning. Sicilian pasta dishes make use of the abundance of local produce such as tomatoes and aubergines. You can find meat on most menus and in particular inland and mountainous areas. You will also find delicious pizzas and mouth watering sweets and desserts that all play a big part in Sicilian Cuisine

As we cannot travel to Sicily at the moment why not pretend you are on a romantic getaway and create your own Sicilian staycation meal for Valentines Day?

In these Covid times there are many restaurants, pizzerias, online suppliers and Italian grocery stores offering boxes of produce to create a perfect at home meal. In these kits you will find recipes with pasta, pasta sauces, flour for pizza dough with toppings and even cannoli making kits to create a perfect home cooked meal.

With Valentines Day in mind I have created my perfect Sicilian Valentines menu inspired by some of our favourite dishes in our favourite local restaurants in Sicily.

I am super lucky in England to have a brilliant local fish monger and a Sicilian restaurant who have been setting up a mini market every weekend whilst they are closed during lockdown. They offer an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables all flown direct from Palermo along with other yummy Sicilian products.

My fantasy menu has a choice of three starters, five main courses and three desserts, my favourite white wine, plus coffee with an after dinner chocolate.

Let me know which dishes you would choose to make you feel transported to our beautiful island.

Buon appetito ......

MY VALENTINES DAY MENU

Starters to Share

Sautè di Cozze

Once regarded as the poor relation of the shellfish family because of their small size, mussels are now very popular and cheap to buy. On the western coast of Sicily where it is more uninhabited mussels grow naturally. Simply heat some oil and garlic in a large frying pan with a lid, add the mussels and white wine, cover and cook. Once the last mussel opens serve straight away discarding any that stay closed. Dip fresh bread in the juices and enjoy a true taste of the Sicilian sea.

Burrata

Beautifully balanced in taste, Burrata cheese is a perfect blend of contrasting textures. Its soft shell wrapped around a creamy centre delivers a clash of culinary sensations and a buttery consistency unlike no other cheese. I love it served on a bed of rocket leaves and grilled aubergines then watch as the creamy centre oozes out.

Insalata di Arancia e Finocchio

Sicily is famous for its citrus fruits and all over the island wild fennel grows in abundance. The traditional Sicilian salad of orange and fennel is popular all across the island. In Sicily the blood orange harvest starts in January so you can create a taste bud explosive salad with a natural colour that will make your loved ones eyes pop.

Main Course

Pasta all Norma

This popular Sicilian pasta dish embodies the flavours and fresh produce of the island. This dish originates from the city of Catania and there are numerous versions of this homage to music and food based on variations on a theme of pasta, aubergines, tomatoes and ricotta salata. The composer Vincenzo Bellini was born in Catania and according to legend on the opening night of the cities opera house, which opened with a performance of "Norma", the public were so overwhelmed that they insisted on marking the occasion by naming a dish after the event.

Tonno con Caponata

In Sicily we love grilled swordfish however it is not so easy to find here in the UK. My second favourite fish to grill is tuna and my favourite Sicilian side dish is caponata. The aroma of caponata being cooked is heavenly. The main ingredients include aubergine, tomatoes and red peppers, but what gives this dish its own unique taste is the addition of sugar and red wine vinegar which gives it an agro dolce (sweet an sour) taste. The dish is bright in colour with the addition of olive oil which makes each ingredient glisten like sparkling Sicilian jewels.

Chicken in Marsala Sauce

The reason I have chosen this dish is because it is cooked by one of my favourite chefs Rick Stein in his television programme 'Rick Stein's Long Weekends' when he visits Palermo. Rick tells us that this dish takes him back to the 60's and 70's when Italian food first became popular in the UK. Marsala is a fortified wine, dry or sweet, and is produced in the city of Marsala which was first popularised outside of Sicily by the English trader John Woodhouse who landed in the port of Marsala in 1773 and discovered this local wine aged in wooden casks.

Pasta con Sarde

Pasta with Sardines is arguably 'Sicily on a plate' full of fresh seafood, the islands native wild fennel and Arabic influences of raisins and pine nuts. It is mostly associated with Palermo and the western coast of Sicily but it can be found on menus all over the island. This pasta dish is traditionally garnished with 'Mudica' dried breadcrumbs.

Margherita Pizza

Everyone loves pizza and I just adore a plain and simple Margherita which bursts with a tomato sauce made with the sweet cherry tomatoes that are grown in the south eastern corner of Sicily. The town of Pachino is renowned for its tomato production and they are much sought after in wholesale markets. This Valentines Day either order a pizza as a takeaway or order a pizza making kit and have fun making your own with the one you love.

Desserts for Sharing

Torti di Lava al Cioccolato

Not a traditional dessert but a modern creation these days you will find chocolate lava cake on many dessert menus in Sicily. It is also known as molten cake which derives from the desserts liquid centre. As you cut through the warm sponge with a spoon the decadent gooey centre oozes out just like the lava that flows down the slopes of Mount Etna. I enjoy mine with a side of pistachio gelato.

Semifreddo alle Mandorle

With an abundance of almonds on the island we love to use them in desserts. Semifreddo means "half cold" and this dessert is like a frozen mousse with a nutty flavour. A semifreddo is usually a combination of ground almonds, cream, sugar and eggs and it does not need churning. The almonds give this dessert a wonderful flavour and texture.

Cannolo Siciliano

The Cannolo Siciliano is one of Sicily's signature creations with Arabic roots and was supposedly invented in the harems of Caltanisetta. They are crispy rolls of pastry that are deep fried and then filled with a sweetened ricotta cream which are then decorated with crystalized fruits, pistachios or chocolate then dusted in icing sugar. This sweet proved so seductive for the Benedictine monks that they spent fortunes on them earning them the nickname "Porci di Cristo" (Pigs of Christ). Order a cannoli making kit to construct your own.

'Tramoni' Palermo Blend Espresso

with 'Bonajuto' Chocolate from Modica

Modica is most famous for its chocolate production which has been hand crafted there since the 1600's and follows an Aztec recipe. This chocolate can be eaten at the height of summer without it melting in your hands. This is possible with thanks to the cold processing of the cocoa solids that do not blend with the sugar. The look and taste of this chocolate is recognised internationally.

Tramoni is a Sicilian name from south west of Palermo and was an old aristocratic family name in the old feudal days. Their 'Palermo' espresso is smooth, sleek and strong, rich and velvety with a refined aftertaste.

Vino

Gambino Vini "Feud'O Bianco"

From one of my favourite wineries on the slopes of Mount Etna, this white wine has an aroma of fleshy yellow fruits including melon, pineapple and ripe peach with a fresh and dry taste.

Cheers !!!!!!!