Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
either grilled with lemon, olive oil and oregano, or as
involtini
(slices of swordfish rolled
around a spicy filling of onions, currants, pine nuts and breadcrumbs).
The best swordfish is caught in Messina, where they serve the classic
agghiotta di
pesce spada
(also called
pesce spada alla Messinese
), a mouthwatering dish flavoured
with pine nuts, sultanas, garlic, basil and tomatoes. The Egadi Islands are home to two
splendid fish dishes:
tonno 'nfurnatu
(oven-baked tuna with tomatoes, capers and green
olives) and
alalunga di Favignana al ragù
(fried albacore served in a spicy sauce of toma-
toes, red chilli peppers and garlic). It is not uncommon to see the latter sauce also appear
as part of your pasta dish.
Shellfish are popular throughout the island, especially calamari or
calamaretti
(baby
squid), which is prepared in a variety of ways, including stuffed, fried or cooked in a to-
mato sauce. You'll also find plenty of
cozze
(mussels),
vongole
(clams) and
gamberi
(shrimp). Another popular and ubiquitous treat is
frittura mista
(sometimes called
fritto
misto
), a blend of lightly breaded and fried shrimp, squid and/or fish.
Meat
As any Sicilian can tell you,
cannoli
are meant to be eaten with your fingers, even in a fancy restaurant.
Leave the knife and fork behind, grasp that little sugary beauty between thumb and forefinger, and
crunch away to your heart's content!
Although you can find a limited number of meat dishes along the coast, you won't taste
the best until you move further inland. The province of Ragusa is renowned for its ima-
ginative and varied uses of meat, particularly mutton, beef, pork and rabbit. Its most fam-
ous dish is
falsomagro,
a stuffed roll of minced beef, sausages, bacon, egg and
pecorino
cheese. Another local speciality is
coniglio all'agrodolce
(sweet-and-sour rabbit), which
is marinated in a sauce of red wine flavoured with onions, olive oil, bay leaves and rose-
mary. The Nebrodi mountains are famous for a variety of pork products derived from the
indigenous
Nero dei Nebrodi
, also known as
suino nero
(literally, black pig). In the neigh-
bouring Madonie mountains, the town of Castelbuono is the home of
capretto in umido
(stewed kid) and
agnello al forno alla Madonita
(Madonie-style roast lamb). Locally
caught
cinghiale
(wild boar) is served in stews, sauces and sausages. Don't be put off if
goat or kid dishes are described on the menu as
castrato
- it means the goat was castrated,
giving the meat a tender quality. Thankfully, it doesn't refer to what's on your plate.
