Page 211 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

where t o ea t  209

(zucchini) and tomatoes are
the basis for pasta sauces like
vermicelli alla Siracusana (of
Syracuse), which also uses
black olives, capers and
anchovies.
Pork from the pigs farmed
inland has the distinctive taste
of the prickly pears on which
they feed, and the local
sausages are often flavoured
with wild herbs.
Milk from cows, sheep and
goats is made into cheeses
Farmer selling fruit from the back of his truck in Taormina, Sicily such as pecorino, which are
sometimes studded with
Southern Sicily
sweet cuscus with chocolate, peppercorns or olives. Ricotta
pistachios and almonds. A In Ragusa province, vast is crumbled onto stews, pasta
savoury cuscus, cooked with fish greenhouses dot the and rice dishes and is an
or chicken stock, cloves and landscape, enabling the year- essential ingredient in
nutmeg in a terracotta pot, is round production and export many desserts.
found on Pantelleria, the closest of fruit and vegetables. Yellow
point to the North African coast. peppers, plump aubergines WHAT TO DRINK
(eggplant), courgettes
High-quality wines include Faro
Northeastern Sicily and Cerasuolo di Vittoria (both
Dominated by Mount Etna and reds), Contea di Sclafari, Erice,
its fertile slopes, the east has Nero d’Avola and Etna wines
fields, orchards, citrus groves from the slopes of the volcano
and vines. Local dishes use (dry reds and whites).
herbs rather than spices. Marsala, a fortified wine created
On the coast, Messina is by 18th-century English
known for swordfish, often merchants, may be dry (secco)
served simply grilled with or sweet (dolce).
herbs and lemon, and Catania
for risotto nero using dark Sweet moscato (muscat) comes
cuttlefish ink (sometimes from Noto, Syracuse and
topped with tomato sauce to Pantelleria. Rare Malvasia from
resemble an Etna eruption). Lipari is known as “drinkable gold”.
Mountain snow, mixed with There are liqueurs made from
sugar and flower essence or almonds, lemon, prickly pears,
juice, began the Sicilian tradi- Freshly harvested olives ready to be and herbs and roots.
tion of sorbets and ice creams. pressed into rich oil

Pesce spada, swordfish steak, Pollo alla Marsala is pan-fried Cassata is Sicily’s famous
may be cooked in an orange chicken (veal may also be used) sponge cake, with ricotta, nuts,
sauce, or pan-fried or grilled with Marsala, lemon juice, Marsala, chocolate, candied fruit
with lemon and herbs. capers and parsley. and marzipan.

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