Sicily Guide

Among all the traditions that Sicily preserves for Easter, I still remember the Easter Marzipan Lamb (agnello pasquale in Italian, agneddu pasquali in sicilian dialect). My grandfather used to give one to me every Easter. In fact, the marzipan lamb is an Easter tradition: you cannot find it any other time of the year. I used to prefer it the chocolate eggs, even if so sweet.

I am not quite sure where the tradition of the marzipan Easter lamb started in Sicily, but the town of Favara (Agrigento province) has been organizing a festival every year since 1997. The festival, a spectacle of colors, flavors and sweetness, gathers some of the best pastry chefs of the island. Apparently, some of the recipes of the Easter lamb are dated back to 1800.

To make the base of the marzipan dough:

2 1/4 pounds (1 k) blanched almonds

2 1/4 pounds (1 k) sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar

1/2 cup cinnamon water (see above)

A great wine to pair with this dessert is the Donnafugata Ben Rye’ Passito di Pantelleria. You can find more information about the history and tradition of the marzipan Easter lamb at http://italianfood.about.com/od/italiandesserts/r/blr0732.htm.

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Pane e panelle is a typical street food from Palermo. Panelle are golden, fried fritters made from ground chickpea flour, water, and parsley. Vendors selling pane e panelle can be found in every street corner of the Sicilian capital. It is a simple dish that can be quite filling. I had my first pane e panelle at La Vucciria, a famous market that takes place in downtown Palermo.

Surprisingly, I have seen these chickpea fritters in the menu of some of the most elegant Italian restaurants in Manhattan. Pane e panelle is a street food and traditionally is eaten standing up and not in a plate with fork and knife. If only Palermitans saw this…

The recipe for make the panelle is quite simple.

Ingredients (make about 30 fritters):

2 1/2 cups (8 ounces) chickpea flour
3 cups water
3 tablespoons finely fresh parsley or oregano (optional)
4 to 6 cups vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fine ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
vegetable oil

Method:
Dissolve the chickpea flour in three cups of cold water and add the salt and the baking powder. Cook and stir it for about 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Divide the mixture with a spatula, stack the panelle next to each other and let them cool for a couple of minutes. Heat the vegetable oil to 375F in a flat pan. Fry the panelle until golden. Drain them on paper towel and serve them warm. Enjoy! 

Technorati Tags [ pane e panelle | panelle | sicilian fast food | palermo | vucciria | chickpea fritter ]

Among all the traditions that Sicily preserves for Easter, I still remember the Easter Marzipan Lamb (agnello pasquale in Italian, agneddu pasquali in sicilian dialect). My grandfather used to give one to me every Easter. In fact, the marzipan lamb is an Easter tradition: you cannot find it any other time of the year. I used to prefer it the chocolate eggs, even if so sweet.

I am not quite sure where the tradition of the marzipan Easter lamb started in Sicily, but the town of Favara (Agrigento province) has been organizing a festival every year since 1997. The festival, a spectacle of colors, flavors and sweetness, gathers some of the best pastry chefs of the island. Apparently, some of the recipes of the Easter lamb are dated back to 1800.

To make the base of the marzipan dough:

• 2 1/4 pounds (1 k) blanched almonds
• 2 1/4 pounds (1 k) sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup cinnamon water (see above)

A great wine to pair with this dessert is the Donnafugata Ben Rye’ Passito di Pantelleria. You can find more information about the history and tradition of the marzipan Easter lamb at http://italianfood.about.com/od/italiandesserts/r/blr0732.htm.

Technorati Tags [ agnello pasquale | marzipan easter lamb | sicily easter traditions | sicily ]

Sicily enjoys a fine tradition of food and wine. There are numerous dishes that have become part of the national tradition and/or are famous internationally today. All the outside dominations throughout the centuries left their traces in the island’s gastronomy. The Ancient Greeks started producing refined flours and whole grain. They planted the Malvasia and Moscato vines which are still predominant in the island today. The ancient Greeks also seem to have used the snows of Mount Etna to make ices based of fruits and honey; they also introduced the first olive trees.

Arabs imported rice, sugar and almonds, and while couscous clearly draws origin from the couscous in North Africa, it differs just for the use of fish. Of Arabic derivation also come the two most famous desserts of the island: cassata and sorbetto. The Normans introduced stockfish to the island’s cuisine.

The Angevins, Aragonenses and Bourbons also left their sign. The “farsumagru“, a roll of meat with filling, is derived from the French. The Spanish introduced diverse dishes and ingredients such as the pan of Spain, chocolate, tomato and, most importantly, eggplant. From the fusion of these products and local traditions originated some of the most typical Sicilian recipes we know today: pasta with sardines, caponata, racines, and orange salad.

1. Swordfish carpaccio
2. Pasta alla Norma
3. Arancini (Sicilian rice balls)
4. Couscous with fish
5. Pasta with sardines

For more recipes, please visit the recipes’ section on SicilyGuide.com.

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Growing up in a small town of Sicily - Pace del Mela in the province of Messina, I remember that it was lots of fun on Saint Joseph’s Day (Il Giorno di San Giuseppe), every March 19. It was a day off from school and my mom was cooking the yummy crespelle, better known as zeppole di San Giuseppe or sfingi.

I still remember the nice smell in the house and the sweet taste of the raisins and sugar contrasting with the simplicity of the fried pasta dough. I miss those flavors and tend to be profoundly fond of the memories now that I live in New York City.

The feast of San Giuseppe is still a big day for my family back in Sicily because it is also father’s day and my sister Pina’s name day. Pina is a short form derived from the name Giuseppe. My sister was supposed to be named after my grandmother Peppina, but my father mistakenly registered her with the short form at the city hall the day she was born. My mother was upset at the moment, but soon she dismissed my father’s behavior as emotional. Many other relatives and family’s friends in Sicily are named after San Giuseppe. Therefore, you can easily imagine how this day turns into a very big feast.

Speaking to my mom on the phone, I became a bit homesick and asked for the family’s recipe of the zeppole. I am going to try to make and share my zeppole with some friends after work tonight.

Ingredients for 8 people:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 package yeast
Pinch salt
2 cups water (room temperature)
1 cup raisins
6 cups canola oil
1/2 cup sugar

Method

Mix flour, yeast, salt, raisins and water in a bowl. Let rest for about 2 hours. The dough should be almost liquid. With a spoon, scoop dough and make a ball. In a heavy pot, heat oil. Add the dough to hot oil and deep fry until golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar and serve the zeppole. Enjoy!

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