Goethe once said, "To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily, is not to have seen Italy at all." His statement certainly holds true for Sicily’s compelling cuisine as it is different from any other Italian region. Strongly influenced by its many conquerors (from the Phoenicians and Greeks, to the Romans, the Arabs and even the French and Spaniards), the island represents a treasure trove as the culinary crossroad of the Mediterranean.
In addition to its unique historical tapestry of foreign cultures, the tastes of Sicily are also influenced by the island’s exceptional volcanic soil. Vegetables are intensely flavored, olive oils are outstanding, and lemons and blood oranges taste like no others you’ve ever had. Then there are the wild mountain herbs and capers grown in lava. Add all of this to exotic spices like saffron and cinnamon and it’s a dream experience for any foodie.
In the order in which one might taste them, here are
some of Sicily’s most famous flavors…
Castelvetrano Olives
Often served as a pre-dinner nibble in Sicily, these large fleshy olives come from the the town of the same name on the western side of the island. Foodies have recently discovered this once obscure olive and its become popular for its buttery flavor.
Arancini
Named because of its shape, “little oranges” are small
balls of rice filled with meat, cheese or veggies. They are a staple in the Sicilian cuisine. It
was the Moors who brought rice to Sicily, and arancini can be traced back to
the 10th century when the Moors ruled the island.
Ragusano Cheese
Made from a special breed of cow, Ragusano is one of
the oldest cheeses in Sicily. Made in
the shape of a brick, it can be sold after a few months of ripening or, it can be
aged. As the cheese matures it becomes
more spicy. Ragusano is a PDO product which means it is protected by the government.
Only cheese made from certain cows grazing in a small area of Sicily can
be called Ragusano.
Ricotta
Salata
A hallmark cheese of Sicily, this aged sheep’s milk ricotta is often seen as a topping for many of the island’s pastas. Used mainly as a grating cheese, this dry, crumbly cheese tastes somewhat like an aged feta.
Pasta Norma
Topped with grated ricotta salata, pasta norma is one of the most classical dishes of Sicily. But, it’s not just popular in Sicily---Google it and you’ll find nearly 25 million articles and recipes. A less is more dish, pasta norma has only a few ingredients, all working perfectly in concert with one another: eggplant (brought by the Moors), tomatoes (brought by the Spaniards), basil (brought by the Greeks) and ricotta salata. Paradiso.
Caponata
Think of caponata as Sicily’s version of ratatouille, with the addition of a sweet-sour sauce called “agro-dolce.” The island’s magnificent capers which were brought by the Greeks, however, take it to an entirely different culinary level. Sicily preserves its capers in salt versus a vinegar brine, thus Sicilian caper flavors are much more intense. Every Sicilian household has its own rendition of caponata but they all feature chopped eggplant, onion, tomatoes, celery, olives and capers with agro-dolce.
Cannoli
Cannoli is synonymous with Sicily. These tubular shaped dessert pastries are one of the prides and joys of Sicilian flavors. Filled with a sweetened fresh ricotta, cannoli are topped with the islands flavor-chocked pistachios (brought by the Moors) and candied fruit.
Cassata
Although not as well known outside of Sicily as cannoli,
cassata is one of the most regaled desserts of Sicily. A pain-staking-labor-of-love, cassata is a
sponge cake featuring a ricotta filling similar to that used in cannoli, but
the similarity ends there. There are
multiple processes after the sponge is made, which include infusing liquors and
decorating with marzipan (a labor intensive almond paste which is a Sicilian art-form unto
itself). BTW: it was the Moors who brought almonds to Sicily.
Buon appetito!
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