Sicily

Sicilian cooking is an adventure in history: the island has been home to Greeks, Romans, Normans, Bourbons, and Arabs over the centuries, and its cooking speaks of this complicated history of invasions and occupations, as well as the fresh flavors of the land and the bounty of the sea.

Sicilian cooking is characterized by its fanciful juxtaposition of sweet and sour flavors, its abundant use of fragrant herbs, its succulent seafood, its rich desserts, and its luscious citrus fruit. Sicilian cuisine has very ancient roots, dating back to the period of the Norman occupation; these roots still influence contemporary cooking. Today's cuisine is an amazing mosaic reflecting every foreign invasion that took place over the years, especially by the Arabs. Each city, and each neighborhood, has its own distinctive cuisine, based on what the territory has traditionally had to offer; eggplant from Palermo, tuna from the Egadi Islands, capers from Pantelleria and oranges from throughout the region.

There is cuscus from Trapani, an Arab legacy, served with a fish stew. Pasta con le sarde, with fresh anchovies, is traditional, and elaborate timballi of pastry dough filled with maccheroni and meat bound with sauce figure as feast dishes. Bottarga, tuna roe that has been salted and pressed, tops pasta in the renowned spaghetti alla siracusana, and Catania's most famous dish is spaghetti alla norma, with fried eggplants, basil, and ricotta salata. Sfinciuni di San Vito, a stuffed focaccia, is not to be missed, as is caponata, a sensuous dish of eggplants, celery and, onions that are fried separately and cooked briefly in a sweet and sour sauce that includes tomatoes, raisins, pine nuts, vinegar, and a pinch of sugar.

Farsumauro is one of the island's classic meat dishes, and pescespada alla ghiotta,an exuberant swordfish preparation, is its most famous fish dish. Cassata is the most beloved Sicilian dessert, now reserved for Easter, and cubbaita, a nougat with honey, almonds, and sesame seeds, speaks of an Arab influence; the ricotta-stuffed cannoli are known throughout the world. Pasta reale and other almond-based sweets figure prominently, as do ice creams and fruit ices.

Sicily produces a number of great wines, most of them sweet: Marsala, Malvasia delle Lipari, and Moscato. Excellent table wines are made on the Regaleali estate; other outstanding ones are Etna, Alcamo, Corvo, Faro, and Ombra.