A Tour Through Old-World Sicily

Last updated on November 12, 2021

Sicily is a feast for the senses. The land itself is an intense ochre color, dotted with dark green foliage and baked by the Mediterranean sun. Ruins are scattered like building blocks left behind by a child-giant. Intact temples stand huge and hulking, as they have for thousands of years. Everything about the place just feels old. Not that Sicily isn’t worldly; but it is old-worldly in a complex and guarded way. After my time there I grew to understand and adore the people and the place, not to mention the food.

Sicily is starkly different from the rest of Italy. I learned it is a region entitled to home rule in order to preserve its distinct culture and language. Most residents speak Sicilian, not Italian. Ancient civilizations figure prominently in Sicily’s history, such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Saracens; and knowledge of Greek or Roman mythology will put you ahead of the curve. The ancients come alive here. 

Humans inhabited the island as far back as 8,000 B.C. The Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans and Spanish all invaded and held power for a time. By 700 B.C. Syracuse, in the southeast corner of the island, was a hot spot of the ancient world. A mosaic of nationalities that passed through over thousands of years left their imprint on the island, with food, culture and architecture.

I knew this trip would be an expedition. I painstakingly planned out an itinerary, detailing landmarks, cities and beaches to visit, and regional specialties to sample. And for the most part I stuck to the plan, navigating over 900 miles of beautiful coastline, starting with Palermo in the upper northwest and traveling counter-clockwise to trendy Taormina in the northeast. Sicily feels like it has an invisible division; the western provinces are decidedly Arabic in flavor, with couscous as prominent as pasta on the menu, and Arab quarters and monuments alongside churches and cathedrals. The people seemed more stoic and reserved. Yet, the further east we headed along the southern coast, the more Greek the mien became, in both the openness of the people as well as the flavors of the food. Catania, I discovered, is a far cry from Corleone.

It’s said that Sicily is where the gods feast. The sheer amount of fresh produce available at the many outdoor markets could inspire even the most spiritless cook. While walking along the Mercato il Capo, Palermo’s open-air marketplace, I saw unusual cucuzza (zucchini) over two feet long, and mollusks, just out of the sea, that squirt me as I passed by. There were stands filled with ripe olives, local cheeses and artichokes, and tomatoes the deepest shade of red I ever saw. I bought little bags filled with spice blends of fennel, oregano, thyme, red pepper and basil, and others with the traditional Arabic mixture of pine nuts and golden raisins. I stowed them in my suitcase to cook with at home; months later they are giving me delectable flavor memories of my trip. 

Sicily’s volcanic-rich soil and mild Mediterranean climate provide ideal conditions for a wide variety of crops that are grown regionally and then used to make Sicilian goods with pride. 

• Almond trees are abundant, in both sweet and bitter varieties; however Sicilian almonds rarely leave the island. In the Baroque hilltop village of Erice, legendary pastry chef Maria Grammatico uses only almonds from the southeast city of Avola to make almond-based confections and marzipan in her Pasticceria.

• Over 50 varieties of ancient wheat grow on Sicily. The most popular, Tumminia, is stone-ground to make the rustic black bread of Castelvetrano, which is served everywhere. The other wheats are used in pastas, pizza dough and other types of bread.

• Honey, especially from orange blossoms (Miele di arancia), is produced in Zafferana Etnea, a town on the southeastern side of Etna.

• Marsala wine is made in the southwestern town of that name. There are two major wine regions in Sicily, one on the west coast, near Marsala, and one on the east coast, near Mt. Etna. Sicilian viniculture dates back to the Phoenicians, or even earlier.

• The town of Modica is world-famous for its chocolate, Cioccolato di Modica, which can be traced to the Spaniards, who brought their ancient Aztec processing methods and cocoa beans to Sicily.

• Sea salt from the marshes of Trapani, with its picturesque medieval drying windmills, are an integral ingredient in Sicilian cooking.

• Pistachios from the town of Bronte, on the western slope of Mt. Etna, are used in all types of food, especially pesto and gelato.

Sicilian cuisine is a combination of many different cultural elements on the island. A mixture of Arabic, North African and Italian, it may be the first example of fusion cooking! Nuts and raisins (sultanas) add sweetness and crunch to many dishes, spices like saffron, cinnamon and hot pepper add color, heat and depth of flavor. Specialties vary with the region, and sometimes the name of the dish reflects where it originated.

• Busiate con Pesto Trapanese is a twirled wheat pasta dish, with a uniquely Sicilian pesto sauce made from tomatoes, garlic, basil and almonds.
• Couscous alla Trapanese is handmade couscous served with fish broth, made with saffron, paprika, garlic, parsley, tomato and Mediterranean seafood, topped with almonds.
• Pasta alla Norma is Casarecce (or other short pasta) combined with tomatoes, fried or sautéed aubergine, grated ricotta salata cheese, and basil. This is perhaps the most famous Sicilian pasta dish, emanating from Catania.
• Caponata di Melanzane is a Sicilian specialty consisting of cooked aubergines, onions, tomatoes and vinegar. Regional varieties may also contain celery, capers and olives, or pine nuts and raisins. It is always a perfect balance of sweet and acidic flavors. 
• Pasta con le Sarde is Bucatini pasta, mixed with sardines, anchovies, wild fennel, saffron, pine nuts and sultanas, topped with bread crumbs. An iconic Sicilian dish, it is associated most closely with Palermo, but found everywhere in Sicily.

Palermo street food is notorious, though it is not always for the faint of palate. Arancini, deep-fried rice balls, are usually filled with ragù, peas and mozzarella, or spinach and cheese, or sometimes even chicken livers. Pane panelle e crocchè are chickpea fritters and potato croquettes served on a bun with a squeeze of lemon. Pani ca’ meusa? Just a spleen burger. Stigghiola are roasted sheep or goat intestines served with onion. Though Sicilians eat these with relish, I stuck with the arancini.

People ask “Is Sicily safe?” Well. We were ripped off at the airport, pick-pocketed on a bus and threatened by the (alleged) mafia over a parking spot. (My husband, dubious, countered that he was from Brooklyn. I, however, was petrified, and made him give up the spot. Tough guy.) On the
other hand, the roads were modern and safe, and we walked everywhere freely. When we were hungry, restaurants opened for us after hours and fed us like kings. When we were in need, strangers exhibited incredible acts of kindness and generosity. The saying goes that a Sicilian friend is a friend for life. We are now so honored. Sicily is not only a feast for the senses, but also a gift for the heart.

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One week in Sicily:

Fly into Palermo and spend two days taking in the multitude of churches, palaces and outdoor markets.  (2 nights)

Rent a car and head southeast to Agrigento, making a stop at the beautiful beach at Scala dei Turchi. Spring for the 5-star Villa Athena, and relax at the pool with the Temple of Concordia sitting majestically in view. Skip the lines and walk through groves of almond trees to the ruins at Valle dei Templi, the largest archeological site in the world, circa 5 BC. Make a reservation for dinner at Kalos. (1 night) 

Head east to wonderful Ortigia, off the coast of Siracusa. Make an advance dinner reservation at the very special Ristorante Lucia Regina in the Piazza del Duomo. Visit the Greek and Roman ruins in Siracusa, just a short cab ride away. Take in the culture, go to the lido (beach decks) to swim, watch perfect Mediterranean sunsets from outdoor cafes. (2 nights)

Drive north up the Ionian coast to cosmopolitan Taormina. En route you can take in views of the highest active volcano in Europe, Mt. Etna (10,810 feet). Stay near Taormina’s old city and ride the funicular to the beaches. Make granite mandorla and gelato from Gelatomania on the Corso Umberto staples of your so-called diet. Eat Pasta alla Norma at lively La Scala and get tickets to the opera at the ancient Teatro Antico, the Ancient Greek Theater. (2 nights)

 Depart from Catania airport. 

As published in Edible Orange County.