Sicily is famous for its turquoise waters, ancient architecture, towering volcanoes, beautiful countryside, and some of the most delicious dishes. All the cultures which established themselves on the island of Sicily over the last two millennia have left a part of themselves in Sicilian cuisine. There isn’t much difference between Italian and Sicilian cuisine and recipes, but the truth is that the Sicilian dishes have been influenced by Spanish, Greek, and Arab cuisine the most of all other cuisines.
The quality of od the used ingredients is one of the most important aspects of Sicilian cuisine. Sicilians tend to eat seasonal food, because of its freshness and taste.
We picked out some of the most famous Sicilian recipes to share with you, so take a look.
1. Arancine
Ingredients for 10 arancines
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
Instructions
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 from sticking too much. Mix the grated cheese, some freshly ground black pepper and add them with the rice. 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 in hot oil until golden brown and place on kitchen roll to remove any excess oil. Serve while hot and crunchy.
2. Pasta Alla Norma
Ingredients (for 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
Instructions
Cut the aubergines into small cubes and fry them in olive oil. When they get golden brown color, place them on a kitchen paper to remove some of the oil. Sprinkle them 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.
3. Spaghetti al pesto Trapanese (Pesto Trapani style)
Ingredients (for 4 people)
600g of short pasta
6 cloves of garlic
6 ripe tomatoes
100g almonds
a handful of fresh basil
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Instructions
Toast the almonds and add to a mortar with the garlic, some salt and some pepper. Using the pestle to mash the ingredients together. Put it in a bowl and mix it with the finely chopped tomatoes and the basil, ripped into smallish pieces. Add a dash of olive oil and some pepper. Mix all well and leave to marinade together with a little. In the meantime, cook the pasta, drain thoroughly, and add to the pesto. Mix and serve with a little Parmesan cheese.
4. Sorbetto di fragole (Strawberry sorbet)
Ingredients (for 8 people)
1kg of strawberries
400gr of sugar
The juice of 1.5 lemons
A drop or two of rum (optional!)
Instructions
Blend the strawberries, add the sugar and lemon juice and mix well. Taste and adjust the flavor if necessary and pour into an ice-cream maker. If you don’t have one, place in freezer and stir every 10-15 minutes.
