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Meat and Poultry
Fish and Seafood
Vegetables
Snacks
Pasta
Sauces
Courses
Dish Types
Special Diet
Regional dishes
How to Cook
  • Meat and poultry
  • Fish and seafood
  • Vegetables
  • Traditional Italian
  • Pasta
  • Cakes and baking
  • Knife skills
  • Pickling
Meat and poultry
Fish and seafood
Vegetables
Traditional Italian
Pasta
Cakes and baking
Knife skills
Pickling
|

Sicily

by Great Italian Chefs1 August 2018

This magnificent Italian island is one of the most culturally diverse places in the country, where North Africa meets Europe and volcanic mountains meet the Mediterranean Sea – resulting in dishes that combine the best of both continents.

Great Italian Chefs

Great Italian Chefs is a team of passionate food-lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest news, views and reviews from the gastronomic mecca that is Italy.

Great Italian Chefs is a team of food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest news, views and reviews from the gastronomic mecca that is Italy. From Veneto and Lombardy in the north to Calabria and Sicily in the south, we celebrate the very best of this glorious cuisine and try to bring you a little bit of la dolce vita wherever you are.

Great Italian Chefs

Great Italian Chefs is a team of passionate food-lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest news, views and reviews from the gastronomic mecca that is Italy.

Great Italian Chefs is a team of food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest news, views and reviews from the gastronomic mecca that is Italy. From Veneto and Lombardy in the north to Calabria and Sicily in the south, we celebrate the very best of this glorious cuisine and try to bring you a little bit of la dolce vita wherever you are.

Sicily is a very special place. As the largest of Italy’s islands, it’s certainly got its own feel and culture – ask someone who grew up there if they’re Italian, and they’ll usually say, ‘no, sono Siciliano!’ With ancient customs and traditions famous the world over, the locals are fiercely proud of their heritage, and that makes visiting Sicily a unique and magical experience.

For lovers of good food, Sicily is a must-visit. Walk around the cities of Palermo, Catania or Messina whilst eating deep-fried arancini or satisfy your sweet tooth with some freshly made cannoli. Pasta comes served alla norma, inspired by Mount Etna with the most flavourful aubergines stirred into a tomato sauce alongside plenty of basil and ricotta, or con le sarde, with the island’s incredible sardines put centre stage. It’s also home to some of the world’s best pistachios, harvested every two years in Bronte, while ingredients such as pine nuts and raisins are a common sight thanks to the island’s North African connection.

With a history and culture that would take a lifetime to discover, architecture that’s unlike anything on the mainland and some of the best examples of cucina povera in the whole country, Sicily is an incredible destination for anyone looking for a holiday rich in good food, good wine and good culture. Read on to get a proper taste of Sicily and all its culinary treasures.

Sicily: the complete guide

Want to get a good grounding in the basics of Sicilian cuisine? Take a look at our introduction to this island's beautiful food and drink.

Arancini

If there's one snack that sums up Sicilian cooking more than anything else, it's the beautiful arancini – a stuffed ball of risotto rice deep-fried until crisp. Discover its origins and make a batch at home.

Sicilian wine

Get to know more about the grapes, producers and bottles that best represent Sicily's unique wine culture, from rich reds and whites grown on the slopes of Mount Etna to the incredible sweet wines made from sun-dried grapes.

Sweet Sicily

Sicilians certainly have a sweet tooth, and over the years the island has produced some of Italy's most famous sugary snacks. Get to know the most popular and cook the ones that take your fancy.

Sugar, sugar

The treasure of Bronte

Every two years in the Sicilian region of Bronte, the world's best pistachios are harvested and sent all over the world. But the best of the best stay on the island. Take a look at our photo story of these beautiful little nuts being taken from the tree, and see what they're turned into.

An ode to aubergine

The Sicilians love aubergines and the vegetable is a perfect example of how the island has been influenced by both European and North African cultures. Here are the most popular ways the humble vegetable is prepared on the island.

Africa calling

The reason Sicily has such a unique food culture is due to North Africa being just a short boat ride away. See how ingredients like pine nuts and raisins from the continent have shaped the island's cuisine and discover some of the delicious dishes this clash of cultures created.

Pesce, pesce!

As Italy's biggest island, Sicilians know how to make the most of the abundant seas surrounding them. The result? Incredible fish – particularly sardines – and even better plates of simple food prepared with whatever is at its freshest. Here are some of the best.

Sicily's answer to ceviche

With such fresh fish landed daily, it's no wonder Sicilians love eating it raw just as much as they do cooked. Read more about Sicily's love affair with fish and seafood and what to expect if you're visiting the island.

A taste of sunshine

Want to eat breakfast like they do in Sicily? Check out these recipes for lemon and coffee granita with brioche – a very refreshing way to start the day.

Street smarts

Just like on the mainland, some of Sicily's tastiest (and, to be honest, more unusual) dishes can be found being served from stalls on the streets of its cities and towns. Whether you want something very authentic and traditional like pani ca meusa (warning: contains guts) or prefer to try the island's take on pizza, there's no chance of going hungry.

Panelle
Panelle
by Manuela Zangara

Sicily's must-try dishes

In a rush? Check out Sicily's ten most iconic dishes, from gambero rosso to pesto Trapanese.

Flavours of Sicily

From cheese to fish to vegetables, the cuisine of Sicily certainly isn't short of variety. Check out these three lesser-known dishes for a truly authentic taste of the island.

The island of capers

The best capers in the world come from Pantelleria, a small, remote Italian island far off the Sicilian coast. Find out why and see the beauty of the island for yourself.

The chefs of Sicily

Ciccio Sultano
Ciccio Sultano
Ciccio Sultano
Ciccio Sultano’s guide to Sicily

One of Sicily’s best-loved chefs, Ciccio Sultano has travelled as far as New York to hone his craft. Now back home, Ciccio’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant Duomo is the standard bearer for Sicilian haute cuisine, attracting diners from far and wide to the city of Ragusa.

Duomo
Duomo
by Ciccio Sultano
Accursio Craparo
Accursio Craparo
Accursio Craparo
Accursio Ristorante

As one of Sicily’s most prominent chefs, Accursio Craparo puts the flavours of the east and west of the island centre stage at his eponymous Michelin-starred restaurant in Modica.

Pino Cuttaia
Pino Cuttaia
Pino Cuttaia
Ristorante La Madia

As a die hard Sicilian through and through, Pino Cuttaia’s cooking is a celebration of everything good about the island’s food. His personal interpretation of the region’s famous dishes has made his restaurant La Madia a bastion of Sicilian cuisine.

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