Just like the island itself, Sicilian cuisine is also comparable with that of the mainland. Similar to its history there are many influences - Greek, Arabic, Spanish - with the characteristic and unique touch of juicy vegetables and fruits.

Specialities include Panelle (pea-Beignets), Peperonata (red, yellow and green peppers gently roasted in olive oil), Caponata (roasted eggplant with tomatoes and olives, served cold), spaghetti alla Trapanese (with a cold sauce made with tomato puree, garlic and Basil), Pasta alla Carrettiere (with garlic, oil and Pecorino-cheese), Cassata (ice cream from Ricotta, candy fruits and sometimes chopped almond), Scumuni (ice cream with sweet beaten eggs in the middle), and Frutta di Martorana (marzipan fruits).

Below are a couple of typical Sicilian recipes:

Sicilian Spaghetti
This dish originated as a useful way of utilising leftover cooked pasta.

350g/12 oz finely minced lean beef
2 aubergines (eggplants) equivalent to 650g/1 1/4lb
150ml/ 1/4 pint olive oil
1 onion, copped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp tomato puree
425g/14 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp Worcester sauce
1 tsp of fresh chopped oregano or marjoram
45g/1 1/2oz sliced pitted black olives
1 green/red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
175g/6 oz spaghetti or any long pasta
125g/4 oz grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper

Brush a 20cm/8 inch losse-based round cake tin with olive oil, place a disk of baking parchment in the base and brush with oil. Trim the aubergines and cut into slanted slices each about 5-6 mm/1/4 inch thick. Heat some of the oil in a frying pan. Fry a few slices of the aubergine at a time until lightly browned, turning once, and adding more oil when necessary. Drain the aubergine on paper towels.

Place the minced beef, onion and garlic into a saucepan and cook, stirring regularly, until browned all over. Add the tomato puree, tomatoes, Worcester sauce, herbs and seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the olives and chopped pepper and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the spaghetti for 12 to 14 minutes until just tender. Drain completely. Turn the spaghetti into a bowl and mix in the meat mixture and Parmesan, tossing with two large forks.

Lay overlapping slices of aubergine evenly over the base of the cake tin and up the sides. Add the meat mixture, pressing it down, and cover with the remaining slices of aubergine.

Stand in a baking tin and cook in a preheated oven, 200 deg C/Gas Mark 6 for 40 minutes. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then loosen around the edges and invert onto a warmed serving dish, releasing the tin clip. Remove the paper. Sprinkle with some fresh chopped oregano or parsley (if you wish) before serving. You can also serve the dish with extra fresh Parmesan according to taste.

Sicilian Stuffed Tomatoes - pomodori alla siciliana
Serves 4. Best eaten at room temperature Italian style but can also be served hot.

8 large ripe tomatoes
7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 finely chopped onions
2 crushed garlic cloves
115g/4 oz fresh breadcrumbs
8 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and chopped
3 tbsp black olives, stoned and chopped
2 tbsp fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp fresh chopped oregano
4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cut a thin slice off the top of the tomatoes and throw away. Also scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon and throw away; be careful not to pierce the sides of the tomatoes. Turn the tomatoes upside down on kitchen paper to drain.

Heat 6 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan, add the onions and garlic and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, until softened. Remove the frying pan from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs, olives, herbs and anchovies.

Using a teaspoon, fill the tomato casings with the breadcrumb mixture, then place in an oven-proof dish large enough to have all the tomatoes on the same level. Sprinkle the tops with grated Parmesan and drizzle with the remaining oil.

Bake in a preheated oven, 180 deg C/gas mark 4, fro 20-25 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender and the topping is a golden brown colour.

Remove the dish from the oven and serve immediately if serving hot. Alternatively, allow to cool to room temperature for serving.

For Italian Vegetarian recipes click on Italian Recipes


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