Angela Hartnett indulges in a Sicilian feast

From volcanic terroir wines to gluts of aubergines and tomatoes, Angela Hartnett takes inspiration from the island’s fabulous produce

If I could choose two places to visit in Italy, I’d always opt for Emilia-Romagna, where my grandmother was from – and then for Sicily. Palermo is fantastic, but my husband, Neil, and I tend to stay in the south. I love all the coastal towns, and the cities of Noto, Ragusa and Syracuse.

It’s very traditional, and it feels like going back in time, which I like: the shops close on a Sunday, and they still have a culture of a daily rather than a weekly shop. When we holiday there, we do the same, and buy vegetables and freshly caught fish at the markets.

For that reason, most of the time in

Sicily we cook wherever we’re staying – but last year I did drag Neil on a trek to a restaurant called Enzo a Mare in Punta Secca, a small village by the sea, and it was so delicious we went back again the next day.

The reason I wanted to go there so much is because it’s featured in Inspector Montalbano, an Italian detective series that has been translated all over the world. Andrea Camilleri, who wrote the novels on which the series is based, passed away a few weeks ago. I watch it avidly; the beauty of it is that it’s a way to see Sicily from your living room – and because the inspector loves food, he’s always going to restaurants!

The terroir and the produce of Sicily is very special, from volcanic wines near Etna to gluts of tomatoes, olive oil and aubergines in the summer. The seasoning tends to have more of a kick in the south of Italy, and you’ll also find plenty of saffron, cinnamon and pistachios in Sicilian food. These recipes highlight the dishes I enjoy most while I’m there – and I hope you enjoy making them at home, too.

They still have a culture of a daily shop. We do the same and buy veg and fish at the markets