Flavours of Sicily
Bring some Sicilian charm to your table with these vibrant recipes from Ursula Ferrigno
Sicily is an intriguing, beguiling place. Its prominent position in the Mediterranean has crowned it with an ancient and lasting importance, and led to repeated conquests over the centuries – giving it an extraordinary cultural legacy. It has one of the world’s best cuisines, thanks to the complex influences and fusion of the flavours left behind by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans and Spanish who have each occupied this fertile land.
My first visit to Sicily was an eye-opener. I accompanied my father, who ran a fruit and vegetable business, on a business trip, taking the ferry from mainland Italy. My first taste of Sicilian food was in the ferry cafeteria: arancini were heaped into tiny mounds the shape of Mount Etna. They were – like the people I was soon to meet – warm, generous, unexpected and comforting. These rice morsels, probably originating from Arabia, were stuffed with hidden ingredients. There were five varieties, which seemed to reflect a brief history of Sicilian invaders with every bite. The rice had been stuffed with Bolognese, cheese, meat, tomatoes and spices, and rolled into a hand-held snack. Moreish and totally delicious, they were a beautiful example of what was to come.
The island’s unique food is bright, earthy and suffused with the intensity of the Sicilian sun. Not surprisingly, many dishes are made with fish and seafood. Cream and butter are rarely used – instead, juicy tomatoes or the island’s own fragrant olive oil are substituted. Sheep’s milk ricotta is another staple, as are black and green olives, wild fennel (which grows all over the hills) and the cultivated citrus fruits that are used in almost everything, from salads to desserts.
• Ursula Ferrigno is a writer and chef whose cooking embodies the Italian and Mediterranean passion for good food made from the freshest ingredients. Her books include Truly Italian and A Gourmet Guide to
Oil and Vinegar, and she teaches cookery courses at London’s Books for Cooks ( cookwithus.co.uk).