Flavors of Sicily: Fresh and Vibrant Recipes from a Unique Mediterranean Island - Tapa dura

Discover the unique fusion of flavors that Sicilian food has to offer and bring some Mediterreanean sunshine into your own kitchen with Ursula Ferrigno's warm and enthusiastic company.

Discover the unique fusion of flavors that Sicilian food has to offer and bring some Mediterreanean sunshine into your own kitchen with Ursula Ferrigno's warm and enthusiastic company.

Sicily is an intriguing place. It is other-worldly and beguiling, and has one of the world’s best cuisines thanks to the complex influences left behind by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, and Spanish throughout the centuries. The island’s unique food is bright, earthy, and suffused with the intensity of the Sicilian sun. Not surprisingly, many of the typical dishes are made with fish and seafood. Cream and butter hardly ever feature; juicy tomatoes or the island’s own fragrant olive oil is used instead. Sheep’s milk ricotta is another staple ingredient, as are olives, wild fennel, and citrus fruits. Here you’ll discover authentic recipes for the best food Sicily has to offer, starting with antipasti. Choose from Arancini di Riso (risotto balls) or Gustoso Olive Bianche (olive relish). Vibrant salads such as Insalata di Tarocchi (blood orange and red onion salad) are perfect for the summer as are the light soups and pasta dishes including Minestra di Tenerumi (zucchini leaf and fresh tomato soup) or Pasta Picchi Pacchi (spaghetti with almond and tomato pesto). Delicious meat and fish recipes include Sarde a Beccaficco (stuffed sardines), and Abbacchio alla Cacciatovia (pan-fried Spring lamb with herb and anchovy sauce). Sicilians notoriously have a sweet tooth and are among the best dessert-makers in Italy. Indulge in Pistachio Gelato, Cannoli (pastry tubes filled with sweetened ricotta), and possibly Sicily’s most famous export, Cassata.

Ursula Ferrigno is an acclaimed and experienced food writer and chef. She trained at the Auguste Escoffier School of the Culinary Arts and has taught at leading cookery schools in both the UK and Italy, including the celebrated Leith’s School of Food and Wine, Divertimenti, and La Cucina Caldesi in Ireland. She toured the US, running classes in Sur la Table stores, is consultant chef to the popular Caffe Nero restaurant chain in the UK and has made numerous appearances on British television. The author of more than 17 cookery books, Ursula has also written for many publications, including Olive, BBC Good Food, Taste Italia, and American Gourmet.