American cooks have been in love with Italian food for four decades. But until recently, they were content with exploring the cuisines of the mainland, of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont and Lombardy, Liguria and Lazio. Only now are they turning their attention to Sicily, where an abundance of seafood, fruits, and vegetables and a rich mix of cultures have contributed to an extraordinary and varied table.
Over the centuries, many different cultures—Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman, Lombard, French, Spanish, Bourbon—have left their mark on Sicilian cuisine. The Greeks began colonizing Sicily around 800 BCE, bringing grapes and olives. The Arabs, who arrived in the ninth century ACE, carried eggplant, lemons, oranges, apricots, sugar, citrus, raisins, nutmeg, clove, pepper, cinnamon, and pine nuts, among other foodstuffs. In the sixteenth century, the Spanish introduced the foods of the Americas: cocoa, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and turkey. Even a small culinary treasure from North Africa, couscous, found its way to the island and settled in Trapani. Not surprisingly, this bountiful pantry has produced a complex and endlessly delicious cuisine, making it difficult to decide which dishes to include here.
BROCCOLI RABE, ARUGULA, AND PROSCIUTTO
WITH WALNUT PESTO
If you prepare the pesto, dressing, and broccoli rabe ahead of time, this dish comes together quickly just before serving. In spring, broccolini, broccoli, asparagus, or English peas may be substituted for the rabe. I recommend leaving some texture in the pesto. A smooth pesto would still taste good, but a little texture will help it stand out more. Any leftover pesto would be delicious on pasta or on a green bean and potato salad.
Some stores carry already-sliced prosciutto, but if possible, ask for the prosciutto to be freshly sliced. You can use an expensive or an everyday but still good-quality balsamic vinegar for the vinaigrette. Of course, the better the vinegar, the better the dish will be, and a rich artisanal vinegar will make a big difference. | SERVES 6
3 CLOVES GARLIC, PEELED
½ CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
¼ CUP WALNUT OIL
¼ CUP GRATED PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO CHEESE
¾ CUP LIGHTLY PACKED FRESH BASIL LEAVES
GRATED ZEST AND JUICE OF 1 LEMON (ABOUT 2 TABLESPOONS)
¼ TO ½ TEASPOON SEA SALT
¼ TEASPOON FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
1 TABLESPOON AGED SPANISH SHERRY VINEGAR
1 TABLESPOON BALSAMIC VINEGAR
½ SHALLOT, MINCED (1 TABLESPOON AT MOST)
½ TEASPOON SEA SALT
¼ TEASPOON FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
2 TABLESPOONS WALNUT OIL
3 TABLESPOONS EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
1 TO 1½ POUNDS BROCCOLI RABE, TOUGH STEM ENDS TRIMMED
OLIVE OIL, FOR BRUSHING
SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
3 TO 4 CUPS ARUGULA, TOUGH STEMS REMOVED
18 THIN SLICES PROSCIUTTO OR SERRANO HAM (ABOUT 5 OUNCES)
6 TO 8 TABLESPOONS FRESH MILD GOAT CHEESE, CRUMBLED
FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
To make the pesto, in a food processor, combine the garlic, olive and walnut oils, walnuts, cheese, and basil and process until everything is well mixed and coarsely chopped. Add the lemon zest and juice, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper and process until the pesto is the texture you like. Taste and stir in more salt if needed.
To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegars, shallot, salt, and pepper until the salt is fully dissolved. Gradually whisk in the oils in a slow, steady stream and continue to whisk until well emulsified. Reserve until needed.
Place the broccoli rabe in a shallow dish. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and turn to coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Prepare a medium-hot charcoal and/or wood fire in a grill.
Place the broccoli on the grill rack directly over the fire and grill, turning once, until just tender and nicely grill marked. This should take 1½ to 3 minutes on each side. Or, sauté the broccoli rabe in a cast-iron skillet over high heat.
To serve, place the arugula in a bowl, drizzle with the vinaigrette, and toss to coat evenly. Arrange 3 prosciutto slices flat on each plate and top with the broccoli rabe. Drizzle with a good dose of the pesto and then sprinkle on some dressed arugula, goat cheese, and walnuts. Finish each plate with a couple grinds of pepper.
Sour-and-Sweet Stuffed Sardines
SOUR-AND-SWEET STUFFED SARDINES
For the past twenty years, I have been working at becoming “greener” in my personal and professional life. Some practices are simple, like working with the local waste management company to turn all of the food waste in my restaurants into compost. Other actions present more complex issues. For example, longfin squid is caught sustainably, but it is then shipped to China for processing, frozen, and shipped back to the United States for distribution. In other words, it is caught in an eco-friendly manner, but its processing and distribution produce a huge carbon footprint. Fortunately, sardines, the star of this first course, do not present the same dilemma. They reach maturity and reproduce quickly, are harvested in nondetrimental ways, and are sold fresh.
This dish is perfect for entertaining. It can be served hot, chilled, or at room temperature. You can bake this dish two or three days in advance, refrigerate it, and then serve it chilled or at room temperature. It is ideal picnic food, or with the addition of a nice big green salad and some warm garlic bread, it would make a satisfying light supper.
If you don’t want to make the sauce from scratch, you can add anchovies to a simple jarred tomato sauce, or easier still, you can use a nice store-bought puttanesca sauce that already has anchovies in it. Manicaretti brand makes a good one. I prefer “canned” items in glass jars because I find the taste is much better than the same food sold in cans.
I have called for a Rangpur lime here, also known as a mandarin lime, which is a cross between a mandarin orange and a lemon and has a highly tart, acidic flavor. I used it because I have a Rangpur lime tree growing in my garden and I like the way its juice balanced the sweetness of the orange in the recipe. If you cannot find a Rangpur lime, use whatever tart citrus you like, such as grapefruit, lemon, or Persian lime. | SERVES 6
2 TO 3 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
½ YELLOW ONION, MINCED
3 TO 6 ANCHOVY FILLETS, MINCED
2 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
¼ CUP DRY WHITE WINE
3 CUPS PUREED OR FINELY CHOPPED FRESH OR CANNED TOMATOES
SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
3 TABLESPOONS EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
½ YELLOW ONION, MINCED
1 CLOVE GARLIC, MINCED
1 SMALL OR ½ LARGE SHALLOT, MINCED
5 TABLESPOONS GOLDEN RAISINS
5 TABLESPOONS PINE NUTS
1 TABLESPOON MINCED FRESH MINT
1 TO 1½ CUPS FRESHBREAD CRUMBS
JUICE OF 1 ORANGE OR 2 TANGERINES
JUICE OF 1 RANGPUR LIME OR OTHER TART CITRUS FRUIT
8 TO 10 FRESH SARDINES
3 TABLESPOONS EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
CRUSHED BAY LEAVES, FOR SPRINKLING
To make the sauce, in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, anchovies, and garlic, stir well, cover, and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes, until the onion is translucent and tender. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook until the pan is nearly dry. Add the tomatoes, stir well, and heat until the sauce is hot and bubbly. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for a few more minutes, until thick and luscious looking. Season with salt and pepper and reserve until needed.
To make the filling, in a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the raisins, pine nuts, parsley, and mint and cook for a minute or two, until the raisins have plumped a bit. Add the bread crumbs and cook for a minute more. Stir in the orange and lime juices, remove from the heat, and let cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Select a baking dish just large enough to hold the sardines snugly in a single layer. Oil the dish with olive oil.
To clean the sardines, scale each fish with a fish scaler or the dull side of the blade of a small paring knife, gently running the scaler or knife from the tail toward the head of the fish (you should see scales popping off). Cut off the head and then make an incision along the belly from the chin (or where the chin used to be) to the tail. Use your thumb to slide out the entrails and then discard them. Repeat with the remaining sardines and then rinse each fish under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
When the filling has cooled, stuff each sardine belly with 1 to 1½ tablespoons. Reserve the remaining filling.
In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the fish and cook, turning once, for about 1½ minutes on each side, until crispy on both sides. You may need to do this in batches to avoid crowding the pan. (If this step seems too difficult, you can skip it. Instead, arranged the stuffed fish in the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, brush with a little olive oil, and bake in the preheated oven for 5 to 10 minutes, then continue with the next step at the point at which you add the sauce.)
Carefully transfer the sardines to the prepared baking dish, packing them close together, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the tomato sauce over the fish, getting some on each of the fish but not covering them completely. Sprinkle the remaining filling over the fish and then tuck the bay leaves in between the fish.
Pop the pan into the oven and bake the sardines for 15 to 20 minutes, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, until tender when gently pressed. Serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.
Swordfish Involtini
WITH CRISPY BREAD CRUMBS AND HERBS
Darren McRonald, who was the chef at Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen while I was working on this book, is a fantastic Italian cook and this is one of my favorite of his many excellent fish dishes. It is wonderful as part of this menu, but it is also good on its own with a simple spinach salad or braised chard or with the
Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Greens. These tasty stuffed rolls also make a good small first course, with just one roll per person.
When shopping for the fish, look for Pacific swordfish that has been sustainably caught, either by harpoon on longline, rather than by trawling. Try to find a chunk that has been cut from the loin and has a large eye. The eye of the loin is the center part that is usable when sliced, not the trim that you would scrape and use for a dumpling filling, for example. Ideally, you want to start with a triangular piece of fish that is 4 inches along the bottom and 6 inches to the tip. If you cannot find good swordfish, tuna or skinless sole fillets can be used. If you use sole, lay the stuffing on the skinned side of the fillet. The muscle structure of the skinned side will help hold everything together after rolling. The fish may be stuffed earlier in the day and kept covered in the refrigerator. Return the dish to room temperature before baking. Reserve the leftover stuffing for toasting in the oven alongside the fish. As Darren showed me, it makes a great garnish. | SERVES 6
3 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
½ WHITE ONION, MINCED
¼ CUP DRIED CURRANTS, SOAKED IN WARM WATER TO COVER UNTIL SOFT (ABOUT 30 MINUTES) AND DRAINED
3 CUPS FINE FRESH BREAD CRUMBS (FROM CRUST-FREE BREAD)
LEAVES FROM 2 TO 3 THYME SPRIGS, MINCED (ABOUT 1 TABLESPOON)
LEAVES FROM 2 TO 3 MINT SPRIGS, MINCED (ABOUT 2 TABLESPOONS)
¼ CUP DRY WHITE WINE
SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
1½-POUND PIECE SWORDFISH LOIN, 4 BY 6 INCHES
1 LEMON, HALVED LENGTHWISE, CUT INTO 12 HALF-MOONS, AND SEEDED
3 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
To make the stuffing, in a small sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until it is tender but has not taken on any color. Remove from the heat and add the pine nuts, currants, bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, mint, and wine and season with salt and pepper. Stir to mix well and reserve until needed.
Thinly slice the fish loin into 12 equal slices (about 2 ounces each). To make the slices a little thinner and easier to roll, lay each slice between lightly dampened sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to thin slightly.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Select a baking dish just large enough to accommodate the fish rolls in a single layer, without crowding, and rub the dish with olive oil.
To make the rolls, position a slice of fish with the long side (bottom of the triangle) facing you. Place 1½ to 2 tablespoons of the stuffing near the edge of the fish nearest you and gently roll the fish around thestuffing like a cannoli. Place the roll, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the
remaining fish slices. You will not need all of the stuffing. Do not crowd the rolls in the dish. They need space to expand during cooking or they will cook unevenly. Place the lemon slices between the rolls, and then drizzle the olive oil over the rolls. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the leftover stuffing on the parchment.
Place the fish in the oven and roast for 8 to 12 minutes, until done. It should feel slightly firm to the touch when pressed gently. It will continue to cook when removed from the oven, so be careful not to overcook it. Put the stuffing in the oven at the same time to toast. If the fish rolls look a bit pale to you, pop the dish (make sure it is broiler safe) under the broiler for a bit to brown the top before taking it out of the oven. Transfer the rolls to a warmed platter or individual plates and sprinkle liberally with the toasted stuffing. Serve right away.
CHESTNUT AND GREEN OLIVE PORK STEW
After the initial steps, this stew can be finished on the stove top, in the oven, or in a slow cooker. It tastes even better on the second night, so I encourage you to make it a day ahead of serving. If you do refrigerate it overnight, remove the fat that will have solidified on the surface before reheating. I like this stew spooned over a mound of mashed or steamed potatoes or over plain or buckwheat polenta. You can make your own buckwheat polenta by adding 1 tablespoon buckwheat to each ½ cup polenta before cooking, or you can purchase premixed buckwheat polenta from Manicaretti.
Unlike most Sicilian cooks, I prefer to use pitted olives in this stew, because I worry about someone chipping a tooth. In winter, vacuum-packed chestnuts, which are peeled, roasted, and ready to go, are easy to find in grocery stores. Fresh chestnuts are a lot of trouble, so if you cannot find vacuum-packed chestnuts, add a handful of toasted almonds just before the end of cooking. The stew is also good without any nuts. | SERVES 6
4 TO 4½ POUNDS BONELESS PORK BUTT, TRIMMED OF EXCESS FAT AND CUT INTO LARGE CHUNKS
2 TEASPOONS SEA SALT
1 TEASPOON FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
OLIVE OIL, FOR BROWNING
1 TO 2 YELLOW ONIONS, CUT INTO CHUNKS
1 TO 2 CLOVES GARLIC
1 TO 2 CARROTS, PEELED AND CUT INTO CHUNKS
2 CUPS DRY WHITE WINE
2 ROSEMARY OR SAGE SPRIGS
¾ CUP BIG, MEATY GREEN OLIVES (SUCH AS PICHOLINE OR CASTELVETRANO), PITTED IF DESIRED
¾ CUP VACUUM-PACKED CHESTNUTS
Season the pork with the salt and pepper. Place a large plate next to the stove for resting the browned meat. Coat a large, heavy pot with just enough olive oil to cover the bottom nicely and heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, add the pork and sear, turning as needed, until browned on all sides. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer to the plate to drain and rest while you brown the remaining meat.
When the final batch of pork has been transferred to the plate, add the onions, garlic, and carrots to the pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until browned. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the browned vegetables to the plate holding the meat. Add the wine to the pan, bring to a boil, and boil, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pot bottom, until the liquid is reduced by half. Return the meat and vegetables to the pot and stir in 3 cups of the stock, the bay leaves, and the rosemary.
To finish the stew on the stove top, bring to a boil and decrease the heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface, for 1½ to 2 hours, until the pork is tender. If the stew seems to be getting too dry, add some or all of the remaining 1 cup stock. During the last 20 minutes of cooking, stir in the olives and chestnuts.
To finish the stew in the oven, bring to a boil on the stove top, cover, and place in a preheated 300°F oven for 2½ to 3 hours. To finish the stew in a slow cooker, transfer the stew to the cooker and cook on the medium setting for 6 hours. In either case, if the stew seems to be getting too dry, add some or all of the remaining 1 cup stock. During the last 20 minutes of cooking, stir in the olives and chestnuts.
Remove and discard the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs. Serve piping hot, garnished liberally with the parsley.
LIMONCELLO-DRENCHED BABAS
WITH WHIPPED CREAM AND CANDIED PISTACHIOS
It seems like every family with a Meyer lemon tree in the Napa Valley makes limoncello, the popular lemon liqueur of southern Italy. It is simple to make, requiring more time than effort, and homemade is more delicious than store-bought. If you decide to make it, consider doubling the batch and use the extra for gifts or for personal consumption (a little added to a martini or margarita never hurts). It is always a good idea to use organic ingredients, but it is especially important for limoncello because you are using the skins of the lemons. If you cannot find Meyer lemons, use whatever lemon variety you can find. You can also substitute tangerines or mandarin oranges for the lemons.
The babas are yeast-raised cakes, a dessert that you don’t see often nowadays. To make them, you will need up to twelve ½-cup baba molds or custard cups or a single 12-cup Bundt pan. I rarely end up with leftover babas, but when I do, I use them to make a trifle. | SERVES 8 TO 12
1 CUP SUGAR
2 CUPS WATER
¾ CUP LIMONCELLO,
HOMEMADE OR STORE-BOUGHT
1 TABLESPOON ACTIVE DRY YEAST
¼ CUP WARM WATER (105°F)
2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
2 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
⅛ TEASPOON SALT
4 EGGS, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
SEEDS SCRAPED FROM 1 VANILLA BEAN
⅔ CUP UNSALTED BUTTER, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, CUT INTO SMALL PIECES
4 TO 5 TABLESPOONS GOLDEN RAISINS OR DRIED CURRANTS, SOAKED IN A LITTLE LIMONCELLO
¾ CUP PISTACHIOS
1 EGG WHITE
SUGAR, FOR COATING
2 CUPS HEAVY CREAM
LIME OR LEMON MARMALADE, FOR GLAZE (OPTIONAL)
SPLASH OF LIMONCELLO (OPTIONAL)
To make the syrup, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium and reduce for 8 to 10 minutes, until thick. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the limoncello, and set aside until you are ready to glaze the babas.
To make the babas, in a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy. Add ¼ cup of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir well.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the remaining 1¾ cups flour, the sugar, and the salt on medium-high speed for 20 to 30 seconds. On medium speed, add the eggs, vanilla seeds, and yeast mixture and beat until combined. Remove the bowl from the stand, cover with a wet towel (or a clean shower cap), and let the dough rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
When the dough has almost doubled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter twelve ½-cup baba molds or custard cups and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Or, butter one 12-cup Bundt pan.
When the dough has doubled, sprinkle the butter and soaked raisins over it and return the bowl to the mixer stand fitted with the paddle attachment. (Make sure the butter is soft at room temperature,
so that it will combine easily.) On medium speed, beat until the butter is thoroughly incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared molds, filling them no more than two-thirds full, or into the Bundt pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, if using small molds, or 40 to 50 minutes, if using a Bundt pan, until puffed and golden. The babas are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and they spring back when pressed gently; once turned out of the molds, they will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Meanwhile, make the pistachios. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. In a small bowl, toss the pistachios with the egg white and sugar, coating evenly. Pour the coated nuts out onto the prepared baking sheet and spread them in a single layer. Bake for about 7 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool completely on the pan.
When the babas are done, remove them from the oven and immediately invert onto a rack. Let them cool slightly. While the cakes are still warm, arrange them in a large, shallow dish. With a toothpick or skewer, prick each cake in a number of places. Drizzle the cakes with about half of the syrup, turn the cakes over, and drizzle with the remaining syrup. Let the babas sit in the dish to absorb any syrup that wasn’t soaked up right away and let cool before serving. If you have used a Bundt pan, invert the cake onto the rack, let cool slightly, then while still warm, place the rack and cake over a baking sheet. Prick the Bundt cake repeatedly, and pour the syrup over. Or, after thoroughly pricking the cake, place it back in the Bundt pan and pour the syrup over. (If it cools too much and won’t release from the pan, reheat in the oven for 5 minutes.)
At least 15 minutes before serving, put a bowl and a whisk or the beaters for a handheld mixer into the freezer. Just before serving, pour the cold cream into the chilled bowl and whisk or beat with a handheld mixer on medium-high speed until the cream has doubled in volume. Do not overbeat.
To serve, divide the babas among individual plates, spoon the whipped cream on top or alongside, then sprinkle with the candied nuts. Serve the Bundt cake sliced on a large plate, topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with the candied nuts. For a fancy finish, melt a little lime or lemon marmalade over low heat, thin with a splash of
limoncello, and brush a little of the glaze on the top of each baba before topping with the cream and nuts.
LIMONCELLO
4 LEMONS, PREFERABLY MEYER, WELL SCRUBBED, PLUS JUICE OF 2 LEMONS, STRAINED
2 CUPS (90 PROOF) VODKA
1 CUP SUGAR
1 CUP WATER
Have ready a sterilized pint (or larger) glass jar with a tight-fitting lid (see instructions on
how to sterilize the jar).
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the 4 lemons, removing only the zest and none of the bitter white pith. Put the peels in the sterilized jar and pour in the vodka. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 10 days. Juice the 4 lemons and use the juice to make lemonade or for another use.
When the 10 days have passed, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and the juice from 2 lemons and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool completely.
Add the cold syrup to the lemon peel–vodka mixture in the jar and re-cover. Shake to mix. Let the jar sit in a cool cupboard or other dark spot for at least 10 days. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve before using. Store in a dark cupboard for up to 6 months.
