Sicily does not only tempt with its beautiful beaches, ancient monuments, archaeological parks, baroque towns such as Noto or Erice. This picturesque area located in the southern part of Europe is also worth visiting when looking for new flavours – simple, traditional, pure – and what is most important – delicious.
The amazing history of this Italian island, a place where various nations settled down for many centuries, is also reflected in its cuisine. Sicilian flavours were formed under the influence of Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Arabs – thanks to them, this Italian island also offers dishes other than the continental ones. European restaurants (also those from Kraków) more frequently include them in their menus, which means that we do not have to travel to Trapani or Palermo to try caponata or spaghetti alla norma.
Brioche con gelato – temperatures on Sicily may sometimes turn extremely harsh, therefore if you feel like eating a bun, it is a good idea to eat it with cold ice cream
Arancini – stodgy and fried rice balls stuffed with other ingredients (e.g. green peas or minced meat). These take-away rice balls are a great snack that you can eat when sightseeing Sicilian towns, or going for a walk, e.g. in Kraków’s Kazimierz.
Caponata – stewed vegetables served cold as a side dish for meat and fish dishes. Its main ingredients include celery, eggplant, and capers, while the other ingredients (raisins, peppers, carrots, pine nuts) are a matter of individual taste of the Italian housewives.
Spaghetti alla norma – pasta with local ricotta from Catania, whose main ingredient is aubergine that came from Arabian cuisine.
Spaghetti al nero di seppia – Sicilian islanders know that you have to cherish every gift given by the sea. Therefore, they dye pasta with black squid ink and thus end up with a very spectacular dish. It is worth ordering it at one of numerous restaurants specializing in seafood.
Parmigiana di melanzane –although parmigiana comes from the environs of Parma, Sicilians are proud of their version of Parmigiana di melanzane with aubergine and eggs. Nutritious and aromatic with tomato sauce, this casserole is often the main dish during Sunday’s traditional dinners on the island.
Frutti martorana –are famous Sicilian sweets. Subtly prepared from marzipan mass and hand painted with natural dyes, they imitate fruit and vegetables. You can buy miniature apples, oranges, bananas, and even marzipan cherry tomatoes, corncobs, and courgettes. The best ones are from the environs of Palermo – their name refers precisely to the local Martorana cathedral, in the garden of which nuns were to hang sweet fruits on trees.
Biscotti di mandorla – delicious almond cookies, lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar and decorated with nuts or candied fruit. Packaged in elegant gift boxes, they are the perfect gift from the trip.
Cannolo siciliano –similar to Polish soggy cream rolls, cannoli are simply a delight with their crispy dough and delicious filling. Those with cream made from ground pistachios or delicate ricotta are particularly worth recommending.
Likier limoncello –a bottle of lemon Limoncello di Sicilia should find its way to the suitcase of anyone who has visited Sicily. It perfectly warms you up, while its flavour brings back memories of the Sicilian sun and lemons ripped from a tree.
