Sicily ... a Foodie's Paradise

“With an contented stomach your heart is forgiving, with an empty stomach you forgive nothing" SICILIAN PROVERB

I love food … especially Mediterranean food, which makes Sicily the perfect place for me, it is a foodie’s paradise.

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 in restaurants you will find that the fish you are eating was caught that morning. The city of Catania has wonderful markets and it’s Pescheria (Fish Market) is known as one of the most colourful in Europe. It was featured in Rick Steins television series Mediterranean Escapes. You will find an amazing choice of fish and seafood. The ones to look out for are Pesce Spada (Swordfish) Tonno (Tuna) Aragosta (Spiny Lobster) Sarde (Sardines) and Gambero Rosso (Red Prawns).

Sicilian Pasta dishes make use of the abundance of local produce that the island offers. The most famous pasta dish being Pasta alla Norma, using ingredients of tomatoes and aubergines (eggplants). This pasta dish is usually garnished with Ricotta Salata (salted and aged ricotta) it is pure Sicilian comfort food. Another popular dish is Pasta con le Sarde , which is made with sardines, fennel, pine nuts, raisins and anchovies. Pine nuts and raisins being an Arabic influence. Risotto dishes are also yummy especially when made with Sicilian lemons and Prawns or Nero di Sepia (Squid Ink).

Pasta alla Norma

You will find Meat (carne) on most menus in Sicily and in particular inland and mountainous areas. Lamb and pork are very popular. The pork is used to make Salsiccia (Sausage) I have to admit I am a bit addicted to Sicilian sausages and would eat them every day if I could. Sicilian sausages are usually coarse and seasoned with fennel seeds, but others have a mixture of cheese. A popular way of cooking them is on a skewered coil on the BBQ.

Vegetables are in abundance in Sicily and in Catania’s market you will see a wide choice. One of Sicily’s most classic dishes is Caponata, this vegetable dish is served as either an antipasti or side dish. The main ingredients include Aubergine, Tomatoes and Peppers, but what gives Caponata its own unique taste is the addition of sugar and red wine vinegar giving it an agro dolce flavour. Other ingredients you might find in Caponata are celery, capers, olives and pine nuts. For a more Arabic flavour raisins are added then topped with toasted almonds. I have a great love affair with Caponata, so my perfect Sicilian dish would be Salsiccia and Caponata.

Like all Italian regions Bread is like a ritual in Sicily. The countryside is covered with wheat fields and whilst under the rule of the Roman Empire the island was known as Rome’s bread basket. The bread comes in a variety of shapes and mollica (breadcrumbs) are toasted and spiced then used as a topping for pasta instead of cheese.

Pizza with Sword Fish, Salmon and Tuna

There are lots of pizzerias in Sicily serving mouth-watering Pizza, you will find pages of toppings on restaurant menus, my husband’s favourite being pizza topped with carpaccio of swordfish, salmon and tuna. I prefer Calzone, a folded pizza stuffed with mozzarella and ham.

Sicily is famous for its Street Food, the most well-known is Arancini which is a Sicilian fast food snack available in bars and from street vendors. Arancini are balls of rice that are filled with a ragu sauce then rolled in breadcrumbs then deep fried. Their round golden shapes resemble oranges (aranci) which is how they got their name. You can also get other fillings, such as alla Norma (Aubergine) or Spinach. Panelle is another snack food made from chickpea flour, the batter is fried then formed into squares and usually topped with Sicilian lemon and salt.

Sicilian Ice Cream (gelato) is famous all over the world and what makes it so different is the cream that is developed from Arabic and Spanish influences. Sicilian ice cream is always rich and smooth with many flavours, my favourite being Pistachio which is made using pistachios from the Mount Etna town of Bronte.

For breakfast in Sicily we have Granite with Brioche. When the Arabs invaded Sicily to keep cool and refreshed they stored snow from Mount Etna in caves and then used the juice from the abundance of lemons on the island to flavour the snow and thereafter Granite was created. Today there are many flavours to choose from particularly in summer. For me I love traditional lemon or chocolate, my husband has a combination of chocolate and almond topped with cream.

Sweets and Desserts play a big part in Sicilian cuisine. The most popular are Cassata and Cannoli, these desserts are made with sweetened ricotta. The Cassata combines creamy sweetened ricotta with sponge cake which is covered with green and white marzipan then covered with candied fruit. Cannoli are lightly fried pastry tubes filled with sweetened ricotta then dipped in crushed pistachio, almonds, or chocolate then decorated with candied fruit. Cannoli were such a temptation and proved so seductive for the Benedictine monks in Sicily that they spent all their money eating them and became fatter and fatter (note to self). This earned the monks the nickname Porci di Cristo (the Pigs of Christ).

Cassata at Ristorante Duca di Cesaro Taormina

Having an active volcano means that Sicily’s earth is extremely fertile and therefore we have the most sumptuous local produce. Sicily is famous for its Citrus Fruit, the lemons are sweet and we have wonderful blood red oranges. In summer there are strawberries, watermelons, peaches and cherries all grown on the fertile earth of Mount Etna and in autumn an abundance of grapes. Eastern Sicily is known for its production of Almonds and Pistachios which are richly flavoured.

Almonds in Sicily are used to make Marzipan and a most popular craft is marzipan modelling, where it is shaped into the forms of fruit and vegetables. The almond paste replicas are described as Frutta di Martorana, named after a convent in Palermo where the nuns once hung marzipan oranges on the trees to impress a visiting archbishop at Easter.

Sicily has amazing cheeses from cows and sheep, the most popular are Primo Sale (aged pecorino), tuma, caciocavallo, Ragusano and of course ricotta which is used savoury or sweet. When visiting Taormina do stop by family run La Bottega del Formaggio, located on Via Bagnoli Croci where you can taste and buy cheeses all made on the family’s farm just outside Taormina.

Millions of Olive Trees produce excellent quality and tasty Olive Oil, a friend swears by having a tablespoon every day for health reasons. The olives are also perfect as antipasti or served with an aperitif. To be quite honest I would eat them all day. Capers grow all over Sicily, and range from tiny to huge and play a big part in Sicilian cuisine. The best ones come from the Islands of Salina and Pantelleria.

Sicilian Olives

Salt is a big part of Sicilian history and has been harvested from the sea near Trapani on the west coast since Phoenician times. 16^th century windmills are used and you can see a landscape of pyramids of white salt which turn pink as the sun sets on the western hemisphere.

I hope I have whetted your appetite to visit Sicily and sample its fabulous cuisine.

There are many ways to experience and enjoy Sicilian food. Aside from restaurants it is always a good idea to eat at an Agriturismo where you will eat produce that has been grown on their land. I would recommend a Street Food tour of Catania and there are many Cookery classes and schools all over the island. Contact me for cookery classes in Taormina and restaurant recommendations.

Food Photo Gallery (no dribbling please)