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Traditional Sicilian Recipes
Sicilian cuisine is a melting pot of all the different cultures that have occupied the island. Sicilian cuscus, is identical to its Middle Eastern cousin cuscus, however you are much more likely to find it served with a rich fish stock in Sicily. Rice is used to make arancini, or stuffed, fried rice balls, that are also of Arab origin. Wheat is a major crop in Sicily and has been used in pasta production since the 11th century. Swordfish and tuna are caught off the coast and used in many regional recipes that include tomatoes, olives, capers from Pantelleria, lemons and other citrus. The local tuna is also preserved as bottarga, or dried fish roe, or salame di tonno, a cooked tuna sausage. Sheep’s milk is the predominant source of dairy in Sicily and is used to make Pecorino Siciliano DOP, Ragusano DOP and Piacintinu, which is colored with saffron. Ricotta is a main ingredient in the regional desserts and is often paired with almonds, pistachios, fruit and honey. Stuffed Cannoli and Cassata are the two primary examples. Sicilian marzipan, sorbets and gelato are all produced with local ingredients. Sicilian wines are known to be strong and syrupy, like Marsala, Malvasia and Moscato from Pantelleria. One of the most important aspects of Sicilian cuisine is the quality of the ingredients used. Sicily, like many other areas of Italy, still follows the seasons very closely. It is virtually impossible, for example, to find non-seasonal fruit or vegetables in most greengrocer's. The result is that ingredients are fresh, often produced in Sicily (or Italy) and are wonderfully fragrant and tasty. So, to get the best out of our recipes you should buy fresh, in-season ingredients where possible. All our recipes are local, some invented by us (here in Palermo), and others passed on to us by chefs or the owners of our properties. Here are some for you to sample.
SOME RADITIONAL RECIPES OF SICILY
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Antipasti and snacks
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Pasta dishes
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Meat and vegetable main courses
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Fish and sea-food main courses
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Desserts
Antipasti and snacks
Sicilian Frittella (Fava beans, peas and artichokes)
Ingredients (serves 6) 500g fresh peas 800g fresh fava beans 6 artichokes salt and pepper olive oil 1tbsp white wine vinegar A handful of mint A few shallots Procedure Clean the artichokes and take off any hard leaves or spikey parts. Cut them into bits and soak them in water and lemon juice for about 15 minutes. Shell the peas and the fava beans. Lightly fry the chopped shallots in olive oil until soft and add the artichokes, the peas, the fava beans and a glass of water. Add salt and pepper to taste and cover with a lid. Cook on a low flame for about half an hour, stirring every 5 minutes and ensuring there is always some liquid (if necessary add more water). Chop the mint and soak in a drop of warm water. Add the vinegar to the mint, stir well and add to the artichokes, peas and fava beans and cook for another couple of minutes. By the end of cooking the liquid should have almost disappeared though frittella should not be dry. Before serving add a good dribble of extra virgin olive oil and, optionally, a few wafer thin slices of Parmesan.
Warm Sicilian octopus salad
Ingredients (serves 4-6 people) 1kg octopus 750g potatoes in small cubes 1 stick chopped small 1 carrots julienne 75gr stoned green and black olives 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar Juice of 3 lemons Parsley Salt and pepper Extra virgin olive oil Finely chopped chili pepper (optional) Procedure First, ask you fishmonger to prepare the octopus so that it’s ready for cooking. Every chef has his own way of tenderizing an octopus before cooking but one simple way is to dip it into boiling water several times for about 10 seconds each. Then place it in a large pan of boiling water (no salt!) and leave to cook for for about 1 hr or until you can easily prick it with a fork. Leave to cool in the water and then drain and chop into pieces of about an inch long. While the octopus is cooling, bring another pan of water to the boil, add a teaspoon of white wine vinegar, salt well and add the cubed potatoes. When ready, drain and leave. In the meantime, get a large mixing bowl and add several tablespoons of olive oil, a good pinch of salt, some chopped parsley, some black pepper and a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. Mix well. Here you can add the finely chopped chili if you want a little kick. Put the octopus back into a pan of hot water to warm up for a minute or two, drain well and add to the mixing bowl along with the potatoes. Then add the olives, the carrot and the celery and mix well.
Arancini (Deep-fried rice balls filled with meat sauce or mozzarella, ham and butter)
Ingredients for 10 “arancini� 400g of arborio rice 1 sachet of saffron A few spoonfuls of thick bolognese sauce with peas (prepared separately) OR a 200g mix of mozzarella, ham and butter chopped together. 100g grated Parmesan cheese 2 egg 300g breadcrumbs Salt and pepper A little olive oil Vegetable oil for frying Procedure Cook the rice with the saffron in salted water until soft and yellow. Drain well and add a dribble of olive oil to prevent the rice sticking too much. Then add the grated cheese, some freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Leave to cool. In the meantime, beat and season the eggs. When the rice is cool, wet one hand and spread some rice (about 2cm thick) on it. Add a dollop of Bolognese sauce (or the mozzarella, ham and butter mix) in the middle and close the rice into a little ball about the size of a small orange, making sure the contents stay inside. When all 10 rice balls are ready, roll them one by one in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs. Fry (preferably deep fry) in hot oil until golden brown and place on kitchen roll to remove any excess oil. Serve while hot and crunchy.
Pasta dishes Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia (Pasta with cuttlefish ink sauce)
Ingredients (serves 4) 500gr spaghetti 2 cleaned cuttlefish with their ink sacks 1 small shallot 2 tablespoons of tomato concentrate olive oil a little fresh chili pepper 1 glass of white wine salt and pepper parsley Procedure Finely chop the shallot and brown in olive oil. Cut the cuttlefish into thin strips and add to the shallot. Fry quickly, add the wine (burning off the alcohol) and then the tomato concentrate. Mix well, cover the pan and leave to cook slowly for about 20-25 minutes until the cuttlefish is relatively tender. Finally add the ink and a little crushed chili pepper and cook for a minute of two, adding the finely chopped parsley at the end. Mix the sauce with the spaghetti and serve with a good bottle of chilled white wine.
Spaghetti alle Vongole (Spaghetti with clams)
Ingredients (serves 4) 300g of clams 3 cloves of garlic olive oil parsley large glass of white wine salt and pepper 600g spaghetti Procedure Wash the clams carefully in running water. Heat some olive all in a large thick-bottomed frying pan (with lid) and add the chopped garlic for a moment. Then add the clams and cover until they open up. Throw in the wine and let the alcohol evaporate for a few minutes. Make sure not to cook off too much liquid, however (clam sauce without the juice is Not good). Add the finely chopped parsley, salt and pepper to your taste and add the sauce to your al dente spaghetti.
Pasta alla Norma
Ingredients (serves 4 people) 2 large aubergines 3 tins chopped tomatoes 1 onion, chopped finely 1 clove garlic, chopped finely A bunch of basil Extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper 80g grated ricotta salata (salted ricotta cheese) 400g rigatoni or, if you can get them, fresh caserecce or maccheroncini Procedure Cut the aubergines into small cubes and fry until golden brown in olive oil. Take out and place on kitchen paper to remove some of the oil. Sprinkle with a little salt. Finely chop the onion and the garlic and gently sweat in some olive oil. Once the onion is soft, add the tinned tomatoes, tear in some of the basil and season to taste. Stir well and leave to cook slowly with a lid on for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the sauce is almost ready, cook your pasta al dente, drain and add to the tomato sauce. Mix well and place in a serving bowl. Top with the chunks of aubergine and a few torn basil leaves and take to the table with another bowl of grated salted ricotta cheese.
Meat and vegetarian main courses
Salsiccia al vino
Ingredients (serves 6) 1kg homemade or good quality pork sausage 60g grapes 20g pine nuts 1 white onion, chopped 4 glasses Etna red wine DOC 1 tbsp honey 1 red pepper, sliced Extra virgin olive oil Salt to taste Procedure In a large saucepan or frying pan, brown the onion in a tablespoon of oil for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and let it bubble up until the alcohol evaporates. Add the sliced red pepper. Rinse the grapes. If you have the patience to, split each grape in half and remove the seeds. Put the grapes, salt, pine nuts and honey in the pan, as well as all the wine. Cook for 10 minutes. In a separate pan, brown the sausage over high heat to get rid of the fat. When the sausage is golden brown, transfer to the pan with the grape sauce and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Vrocculi affucati (Florets of purple or green cauliflower "drowned" in wine, cheese, anchovies and onion)
Ingredients (serves 4) 800g cauliflower cut into small florets 100g Pecorino or other flavoursome cheese in small cubes 80g anchovies, chopped 2 glasses of red wine 1 spring onion, finely chopped Salt and pepper Extra virgin olive oil Procedure This is a layered dish: start with a good glug of olive oil on the bottom of a heavy, high pan. Sprinkle some onion, a little of the anchovies and a layer of broccoli. Season, add some chunks of cheese, some more anchovey and onion and repeat two or three times until all the broccoli has been used. Take a plate and push down on the layers, squashing and compacting them. Then add the red wine, another dash of olive oil and a topping of cheese if left over. Cover and cook on a very low heat until the broccoli is cooked.
Carne alla Pizzaiola (Tender slices of roasted meat topped with tomato sauce, onions and cheese)
Ingredients (serves 4) 4 slices of beef 1 onion sliced finely 100g diced cacciocavallo, mozzarella, and/or Parmesan cheese 1 bottle of tomato passata, though home-made tomato sauce is better! Extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper Olive oil Procedure Coat the slices of beef with a little olive oil and place in a slightly oiled baking tray. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the finely chopped onion and cover with the tomato passata. Then on top of this add the pieces of diced cheese. Put in a pre-heated oven for about 20-30 minutes until the cheese had begun to melt and the meat is thoroughly cooked.
Pollo al Marsala (Chicken in a Marsala wine sauce)
Ingredients (serves 4) 500gr cubed chicken breasts 1 smallish onion 3 cloves of garlic 2 good-sized glasses of dry Marsala wine 1/2 bottle of tomato sauce a handful of fresh parsley olive oil salt and pepper Procedure Gently sweat the finely chopped onion and garlic in some olive oil and, when soft, add the chicken, sealing it on all sides. Turn up the heat a little and add the Marsala, making sure you boil off the alcohol. After a couple of minutes turn down the heat and cover. Let it gently simmer for 10-15 minutes and then stir in the tomato sauce. Season and leave for another 5-10 minutes. Add the chopped parsley at the end and serve with new potatoes.
Involtini di Melanzane (Auberinge stuffed rolls)
Ingredients (serves 4) 3 large aubergines 100gr ham 50gr breadcrumbs 50gr grated mature cheese 2 /3 cloves of garlic a handful of fresh basil 2 tins of tomatoes half a small onion olive oil salt and pepper Procedure Cut the aubergines lengthwise into 1cm-thick slices and brush with salt to extract any liquid. Leave for about 30/40 minutes and then rinse and dry. Then, heat some extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan with a little salt and fry the aubergine slices on both sides until golden brown. Place on kitchen paper to remove excess oil and leave to cool. While the aubergine slices are cooling, it is time to prepare the filling. Finely chop the ham and garlic, add the breadcrumbs and grate the cheese into the mix. Add most of your basil and a drop of olive oil to make the mixture ever so slightly moist. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Then place a little of the filling on each slice of aubergine and roll up, fastening each involtino with a toothpick. To prepare the tomato sauce, finely chop your onion and fry it gently in a little olive oil. Add your tinned tomatoes, and cook down with a little salt and pepper. Add a little basil towards the end. When the sauce is ready (about 20 minutes should do), place the aubergine rolls in an greased ovenproof dish and cover with most of the tomato sauce. Place in a hot oven for around 15-20 minutes. Add a little more of the tomato sauce and serve with crusty white bread.
Farsumagru (Sicilian meat roll)
Ingredients (serves 4) 1 thinly cut but large piece of veal or beef 2 eggs 4 slices of bacon 4 thin slices of tasty cheese 1 small onion 1 carrot 1 stick of celery a large glass of red wine olive oil salt and pepper Procedure Lay out the meat and tenderise to make thin. Prepare a thin omelete and lay on top of the meat. Add the slices of bacon and cheese and a little finely chopped onion. Role up, tie with string and place in a large pan with a little hot olive oil. Brown gently and add the finely chopped carrot and celery, a glass of red wine and a little vegetable stock. Salt and pepper to taste, put a lid on and simmer at a low flame for around 45 minutes. Take out the meat carefully and reduce the remaining sauce to make a thick vegetable gravy. Take the farsumagru to the table whole and slice in front of your guests.
Polpette al Sugo (Meatballs in tomato sauce)
Ingredients (serves 4) 300gr top quality mincemeat 100gr strong grated cheese 400gr tomatoes 50gr breadcrumbs 1 onion 4 cloves of garlic parsley oregano 60gr ham 2 eggs salt and pepper Procedure Mix the mincemeat with the cheese, the breadcrumbs. Finely chop the parsley, the onion, the garlic and the ham and add to the meat. Season with salt and pepper and then add the two well-beaten eggs. Mix all together with your hands and divide the mixture into balls. Pass each in a little flour and fry in hot olive oil. Meanwhile, in another pan gently fry some finely chopped onion and garlic. Chop the tomatoes and add along with some salt, pepper and oregano. Cover and leave to cook vigorously until the tomatoes go down and create a sauce. Then add the meatballs, cover and cook for a further 10-15 minutes on a low heat. Serve with a fruity red wine and some crusty white bread.
Parmigiana di melanzana (Fried aubergines in tomato sauce)
Ingredients (serves 6) 1/2 litre of tomato sauce - home-made is better 4 large aubergines (eggplants) salt extra virgin olive oil 150 g grated Parmesan cheese several leaves of fresh basil Procedure Cut the aubergines into 1cm-thick slices and rub a small amount of salt into each slice. Fry the slices in olive oil until brown and tender. Place the aubergines in layers in a serving dish adding the tomato sauce, the grated parmesan cheese and basil leaves on top of each layer. Serve as a cool antipasto with crusty white bread in the summer or bake (with mozzarella slices on top) in the oven for a hearty winter main course.
Fish and sea-food main courses
Calamari fritti (Fried squid rings)
Ingredients (serves 4) 600g fresh squid, cleaned and chopped by your fishmonger 8 tbsp durum wheat flour 1 tsp salt Vegetable oil for frying 2 lemons Procedure There's no need to make a batter in this light Sicilian version of calamari fritti! Simply sieve the flour, add some salt and mix. Then toss the squid rings and tentacles in the flour. Heat up the oil in a deep saucepan (fill about a third of the pan) and when really hot, add your squid a little at a time, shaking off any excess flour first. When golden brown, take out the squid with a spoon with holes in (draining any excess oil) and place on some kitchen towel. Sprinkle immediately with sea salt and serve while hot with a good squeeze of lemon.
Ruota di Pesce Spada (Wheel of swordfish)
Ingredients (serves 4) 1 wheel of swordfish about 5-6cm high (about 600-700gr) 2 tbsp capers 10 cherry tomatoes 1 bunch of fresh mint ½ an onion finely chopped Extra virgin olive oil 1 lemon Salt and pepper Procedure Take a large piece of aluminium foil (at least twice as big as the wheel of swordfish) and place half of it in the bottom of a large baking tray. Dribble with a little olive oil, and add a little salt and pepper. Put the wheel of swordfish on top and then oil and season the upper side. Sprinkle with capers, the cherry tomatoes halved, the finely chopped onion and add a squeeze of lemon. Cover the top with the remaining part of the sheet of foil and close the sides, crimping so that the swordfish is sealed inside. Then place in a medium-hot oven for about 40-45 minutes. After that time, take out and gently check that it is cooked all the way through. If it isn’t, reseal the foil package and put back in the oven for 5 minutes.
Fish soup, Aeolian style
Ingredients For the fish stock Fish bones and head of 4 red mullet 1/2 stick of celery 1 carrot 1.5/2 litres of water 3 glasses white wine A sprig of parsley 1 bay leaf a few black peppercorns 1 clove of garlic salt For the soup 200g of swordfish in small cubes (about 2cm wide) 200g of grouper or other firm-fleshed fish in cubes (2cm wide) 4 red mullet (depending on size about 300g in all) 1 small squid chopped into rings 100gr shelled prawns 200gr clams 200g mussels 8 skinned tomatoes 1 red onion 3/4 cloves of garlic 1 glass of white wine 1 bay leaf 1 finely chopped green chilli
Preparation Ask your fishmonger to fillet your red mullet and slice your squid into rings. He will probably be happy to cube your swordfish and grouper too! Remember to keep the bones and heads of the red mullet though, as you will need this for your fish stock. Make sure all the pieces of fish are the same size so that they will cook equally. The fish stock Nothing is easier than preparing a good fish stock. Simply put your fish bones and heads in a pan with about 1.5-2 litres of water and add the other ingredients. Bring to a light boil and leave, letting the mixture concentrate a little through evaporation. Leave for around 45 minutes in all. Scrape off any floating scum and strain. The soup First, add the well-washed clams and mussels to a large frying pan. Add a little white wine and cover. When they have opened, pour the liquor into the fish stock, shell the mussels and clams and set them aside. Throw the shells away. Meanwhile, in a large pan, gently saute' a finely chopped red onion, the cloves of garlic (whole) and the finely chopped green chilli pepper until the onion is translucent. Add a glass of white wine, boil off the alcholol and add the fish stock. Stir in your tomatoes, skinned and chopped and leave to cook until they are nicely mashed. The sauce should be fairly liquidy, the consistency of a good broth. Taste and season at this point, then add the cubed fish, the red mullet and the rings of squid squid and leave to cook for about 5 mins in the gently bubbling tomato sauce. Then add the shelled prawns, leave for another couple of minutes, add the mussels and clams. Stir well, season to taste, adding a little chopped parsley and leave for another couple of minutes. Serve with crusty bread and a chilled glass of white wine.
Desserts
Parfait alle mandorle
Ingredients 5 eggs 150 gr sugar ½ litre crème fraîche 100 gr almonds 2 tbsp of the italian liquor “Amaretto di Saronno” (or a similar one with almond flavour) Toast and caramelize the almonds (20 min in the oven at 200 degree, then 5 min in a frying pan with a spoon of sugar), then crush them into small bits. Beat the egg whites and mix the yolk with the sugar. Add the whipped crème fraîche and then slowly the whipped egg whites. Stir gently and add the liquor. Pour half of the mixure into a wet silicon dish, cover with the caramelised almonds and finally pour over the remaining half of the mixture. Leave in the freezer for at least 3 hrs
Sicilian Cassata
Ingredients for the sponge cake One 10-inch round cake tin Two eggs 120gr sugar 120gr butter 120gr flour Two tsp baking powder Two tbsp milk Ingredients for the filling and decoration: 250gr fresh ricotta cheese 400gr icing sugar 200gr almond paste 100gr dark chocolate chips Green food colouring Candied fruit One tsp glucose syrup
Procedure Step 1: the sponge Beat the sugar and butter in a bowl until soft and creamy . Mix in the eggs and milk followed by the flour and baking powder and mix well. Line the cake tin with greaseproof paper, add the mixture and bake at 170째 C for around 25/35 mins. When ready, remove from tin and leave to cool. Step 2: preparing the setting dish Take a 9-inch curved dish (soup bowl) and line with cling film making sure to leave some cling film over hanging. Step 3: colour the almond paste green Roll out into an 10-inch circle and place it in the setting dish. Cut the sponge cake in half and lay one half on top of the Almond paste. Step 4: the filling Place the Ricotta cheese and 250gr of icing sugar in a bowl and beat until creamy. Mix in the chocolate chips and pour the mixture into the setting dish. Place the remaining piece of sponge cake on top of the mixture to form a lid. Pull the overhanging pieces of cling film towards the centre completely covering the sponge and place in the fridge for at least 12 hours. Step 5: the icing Add one tsp of liquid glucose to the remaining 150gr of icing sugar and very carefully, while mixing, add a few drops of water at a time until you achieve a syrupy consistency. Step 6: remove the cake from the fridge Undo the cling film parcel and place a cake board on top. Turn over and remove the bowl and cling film. Pour the icing onto the Almond paste and using a pallet knife spread the icing until the cake is completely covered. Decorate with candied fruit and serve.
Torta al pistachio (Pistachio tart)
Ingredients (serves 6+) 250g butter 6 eggs 350g crushed best quality pistachio nuts 250g sugar two sachets of vanilla 100g chopped toasted almonds Procedure Line the bottom of a flan/pie dish with short-crust pastry. In a large bowl slightly melt the butter and work in the eggs, the pistachios, the sugar and the two sachets of vanilla. Mix well and then pour onto the pastry. Cover with a light strip of chopped toasted almonds and place in the oven, pre-heated to 170째, for 45 minutes.