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Sicily

Sicily is the largest and most populous island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 20 regions of Italy. The Strait of Messina divides it from the region of Calabria in Southern Italy. It is one of five Italian autonomous regions. The region has 5 million inhabitants. Its capital city is Palermo.

Featured Dishes from Sicily

Affogato

Affogato

Vanilla gelato or ice cream in espresso

Biscotti esse

Biscotti esse

S-shaped cookies

Biscotti Regina

Biscotti Regina

Buccellato

Buccellato

Wreath-shaped fig and nut cake, common during Christmas

Cannoli

Cannoli

Fried cylindrical pastry filled with a sweet ricotta cheese mixture

Cassata siciliana

Cassata siciliana

Layered sponge cake with maraschino ricotta frosting

Chiacchiere

Chiacchiere

Fried pastry strips sprinkled with powdered sugar, common during Carnival

Cicerata

Cicerata

Mini fried pastry balls in honey

Cotognata

Cotognata

Crispedda

Crispedda

Sweet or savory fritter flavored with cinnamon and sugar, anchovy and dill, ricotta

Cuccìa

Cuccìa

Sweet wheat berry porridge, also made with chocolate, walnuts, pomegranate seeds, candied orange or lemon peel, vin cotto (sweet cooked wine), cinnamon, several variations, common during the Santa Lucia holiday on December 21

Cuccidati

Cuccidati

Italian fig cookies, common during Christmas

Cuddura

Cuddura

Sweet bread or pastries shaped into baskets or animals and topped with hard boiled eggs, common during Easter

Cullurelli

Cullurelli

Doughnuts made with potatoes, common during Christmas

Dita degli apostoli

Dita degli apostoli

Crepes filled with sweetened ricotta cheese mixture

Gelato

Gelato

Gelato commonly served with fresh fruit

Granita

Granita

Melanzane al cioccolato

Melanzane al cioccolato

Eggplant slices covered in chocolate sauce

Nzuddi

Nzuddi

Almond cookies with candied lemon or orange peel

Pignolata

Pignolata

Fried dough balls, sweetened with honey

Ravioli dolci di ricotta

Ravioli dolci di ricotta

Sweet raviolis filled with a mixture of ricotta, sugar, white wine, lemon and cinnamon, common during Carnival and Easter

Sfingi

Sfingi

Ball-shaped doughnuts

Sospiri di monaca

Sospiri di monaca

Pastry filled with sweet ricotta cream

Torciglione

Torciglione

Serpent-shaped strudel with almonds, apples and figs

Alcamo

Alcamo

Amaro Averna

Amaro Averna

Donna Fugata

Donna Fugata

Etna vino

Etna vino

Malvasia

Malvasia

Marsala

Marsala

Moscato di Pantelleria

Moscato di Pantelleria

Nero d’Avola

Nero d’Avola

Red grape from Sicily, Italy

Noto

Noto

Passito di Pantelleria

Passito di Pantelleria

Agghiotta di pesce spada

Agghiotta di pesce spada

Swordfish and tomato sauce with herbs, olives, pine nuts, raisins, capers, garlic

Agnello aggrassato

Agnello aggrassato

Alici in tortiera

Alici in tortiera

Baked anchovies with breadcrumbs, capers, garlic, parsley

Busecca

Busecca

Tripe soup with beans, vegetables and Grana Padano, Parmigiano or other cheese

Capretto al forno con patate

Capretto al forno con patate

Roasted kid goat with potatoes, common during Easter

Carciofi ripieni

Carciofi ripieni

Stuffed artichokes, filled with a mixture of breadcrumbs, anchovies, sausage, cheese, capers

Carne pizzaiola

Carne pizzaiola

Beef steak with a tomato pizzaiola sauce, may also be made with veal, chicken, pork

Falsomagro

Falsomagro

Stuffed veal or beef roll

Favata

Favata

Stew made with dried fava beans, pork, sausage, vegetables and herbs

Involtini

Involtini

Meat and vegetable roll ups, made with beef, veal, fish, pancetta, prosciutto, cheese

Involtini di pesce spada

Involtini di pesce spada

Swordfish rolls

Lasagne ricotta e spinaci

Lasagne ricotta e spinaci

Spinach and ricotta lasagna

Lasagne verdi

Lasagne verdi

Baked lasagne made with spinach pasta, or made with spinach

Maccu

Maccu

Thick fava bean soup or purée, serve with pasta, on bread

Minestra di ceci

Minestra di ceci

Chickpea soup with pasta, meat, vegetables

Pasta alla boscaiola

Pasta alla boscaiola

Pasta with mushrooms and sausage, guanciale, or other meat

Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma

Pasta with eggplant and tomato sauce

Pasta con le sarde

Pasta con le sarde

Pasta with anchovies and sardines, one of the most famous Sicilian dishes

Pasta mollica

Pasta mollica

Pasta and sauce made with anchovies, garlic, tomato and breadcrumbs

Pasta 'ncasciata

Pasta 'ncasciata

Noodle casserole with eggplant and cheese

Pasta zucchine e gamberetti

Pasta zucchine e gamberetti

Pasta with zucchini and shrimp

Peperonata

Peperonata

Bell peppers stewed in tomato sauce with onions, olives, garlic, capers, anchovies, olive oil and vinegar

Pesce stocco alla calabrese

Pesce stocco alla calabrese

Stockfish stew with potatoes, tomatoes, vegetables, several variations

Polpo in umido

Polpo in umido

Ragù alla salsiccia

Ragù alla salsiccia

Tomato sauce with sausage, serve with pasta

Sarde a beccafico

Sarde a beccafico

Sardines stuffed with a mixture of raisins, pine nuts, herbs, breadcrumbs and cheese

Scaccia

Scaccia

Savory pie, flatbread filled with pork sausage, pepperoni, cheese, broccoli, olives, anchovies

Sciusceddu

Sciusceddu

Meatball and egg soup

Sfincione

Sfincione

Foccaccia topped with tomato sauce and cheese

Tonno in agrodolce

Tonno in agrodolce

Tuna in a sweet and sour vinegar and onion sauce

Triglie alla livornese

Triglie alla livornese

Mullet in red tomato sauce

Zuppa di cozze

Zuppa di cozze

Arancia Rossa di Sicilia

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Arancia Rossa di Sicilia

Red-colored Moro, Sanguinello and Tarocco oranges grown in Catania, Enna and Syracuse, Sicily, Italy

Arancini

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Arancini

Stuffed rice balls, croquettes

Bottarga

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Bottarga

Salted, cured fish roe, used as a condiment to add flavor to spaghetti, salads, vegetables

Caponata

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Caponata

Eggplant and vegetables cooked and seasoned with sweet vinegar, capers and a sweet and sour sauce

Cappero di Pantelleria

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Cappero di Pantelleria

Salted capers from Trapani, Sicily, Italy

Carota Novella di Ispica

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Carota Novella di Ispica

Daucus carota L. carrots grown in Sicily, Italy

Ciliegia dell’Etna

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Ciliegia dell’Etna

Donnantonio and Mastrantonio cherries grown in Catania, Sicily, Italy

Cioccolato di Modica

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Cioccolato di Modica

Chocolate produced in Modica, Ragusa, Sicily, Italy

Cipollata

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Cipollata

Onion soup, though cipollata exists in many variations such as stewed or braised onions, onion jam, onions wrapped in pancetta, served as a side, with pasta, focaccia, savory pies, fish

Ficodindia dell'Etna

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Ficodindia dell'Etna

Prickly pear grown in Catania, Sicily, Italy

Ficodindia di San Cono

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Ficodindia di San Cono

Prickly pear grown in Catania, Enna and Caltanissetta in Sicily, Italy

Focaccia genovese

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Focaccia genovese

Thin bread baked on a baking sheet, pressed down with fingers before baking

Fruit

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Fruit

Rossi di Sicilia (blood oranges), figs, grapes, stone fruits

Gnocculi

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Gnocculi

A type of pasta made in Sicily, serve with sauce

Involtini

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Involtini

Meat and vegetable roll ups, made with beef, veal, fish, pancetta, prosciutto, cheese

Limone di Siracusa

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Limone di Siracusa

Lemons (Femminello Siracusano) grown in Syracuse, Sicily, Italy

Limone Interdonato Messina

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Limone Interdonato Messina

Lemons (Citrus limon L.) grown in Sicily, Italy

Monte Etna

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Monte Etna

Extra virgin olive oil made from Nocellara Etnea, Biancolilla, Brandofino, Moresca, Ogliarola Messinese, Olive di Castiglione and Tonda Iblea olives, from Sicily, Italy

Monti Iblei

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Monti Iblei

Extra virgin olive oil made from Abbunara, Cetrala, Prunara, Tonda Iblea and Tunna olives, from Sicily, Italy

Mostarda Mantovana

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mostarda Mantovana

Mostarda with sour green apples

Muffuletta

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Muffuletta

Bread originating from Sicily, Italy, used to make muffuletta sandwiches

Nocellara del Belice

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Nocellara del Belice

Green and black table olives grown in Trapani, Sicily, Italy

Pagnotta del Dittaino

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pagnotta del Dittaino

Sourdough durum wheat bread, from Catania and Enna, Sicily, Italy

Pane Francese

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pane Francese

An Italian version of the baguette

Panelle

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Panelle

Chickpea fritters

Pecorino Siciliano

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pecorino Siciliano

Semi-cooked hard cheese made from raw sheep's milk, from Sicily, Italy

Peperoni al forno

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Peperoni al forno

Oven baked sweet peppers, for example, with vegetables, stuffed and baked

Pesca di Leonforte

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pesca di Leonforte

Peaches grown in Enna, Sicily, Italy

Pescabivona

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pescabivona

Peaches (Prunus persica L. Batsch) grown in Sicily, Italy

Pesto alla trapanese

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pesto alla trapanese

Almond and tomato pesto, use with pasta

Piacentinu Ennese

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Piacentinu Ennese

Saffron-flavored cheese made from raw whole sheep's milk from Pinzirita, Sicilian Comisana and Valle del Belice sheep, from Enna, Sicily, Italy

Pistacchio Verde di Bronte

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pistacchio Verde di Bronte

Pistachios grown in Catania, Sicily, Italy

Pomodoro di Pachino

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pomodoro di Pachino

Tomatoes (Lycopersicum esclulentum Mill) grown in Pachino, Portopalo di C.P., Noto and Ispica, Sicily, Italy

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