Sicilia, the gorgeous island off of the southern most tip of Italy is by far one of our favorite places in the world. Surrounded by the crystal clear sea, Mt. Etna's beauty, the hills dotted with olive groves, fruit and nut trees, the ancient amphitheathers,... It's enough to fall in love with the place (even before tasting the food and rich wines with fantastic mineral character from the volcanic soil)!
Sicily holds possibly the strongest regional sense in Italy. The language is different, the culture remains very traditional and old-fashioned, and the food is absolutely divine. With a rich ancient greek and Arab history, and its placement on the spice route, the influence comes across in many of the dishes. Sicilian dishes are set apart from traditional pan-Italian with the interesting combinations of citrus, rice, sugar, dried fruits, pine nuts, baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, pepper, pistachio, olives, etc. The warm climate and bountiful waters bring bright ripe flavors and plenty of seafood to the table.
Sample menu for Sicily Dinner (subject to change)
La Cucina Siciliana!
Antipasti:
Caponata (Sweet and Sour Eggplant)
Alici in Agrodolce (Sweet and Sour Anchovies with Rosemary & Red Onion)
Insalata di Polpo (Octopus & Potato Salad)
Arancini (Fried Rice Balls)
Panelle (Chickpea Fritters)
Ricotta (Fresh Cheese)
Primi:
Couscous alla Trapanese (Seafood Couscous)
Bucatini con le Sarde (Hollow Spaghetti with Sardines, Fennel, Currants & Pinenuts)
Secondi:
Pesce Spada alla Ghiotta (Swordfish with Olives, Capers & Chili)
Involtini alla Palermitana (Veal Rolls Stuffed with Breadcrumbs, Raisins and Pinenuts)
Contorni:
Insalata di Finocchio (Fennel, Olive & Orange Salad)
Dolce:
Crostata di Frutta e Pistacchio (Pistacchio and Fruit Tart)
