Ricette di Sicilia
Cibo, cultura e tradizioni siciliane
Sicilian Canazzo – a vibrant Palermo vegetable medley
A colourful, sun-kissed Sicilian side dish from Palermo, made with gently fried summer vegetables and bursting with Mediterranean fragrance.
🛒 Ingredients
- ✓ 2 large potatoes
- ✓ 200 g ripe Pachino tomatoes
- ✓ 2 peppers (one red, one yellow)
- ✓ 2 round aubergines
- ✓ 1 large onion
- ✓ 2 courgettes
- ✓ 1 sprig fresh basil
- ✓ Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying
- ✓ Salt, to taste
- ✓ Freshly ground black pepper
📊 Nutritional Information
There’s something wonderfully reassuring about the way Sicily treats its vegetables - letting them shine with little more than heat, patience and extraordinary olive oil. Canazzo, a traditional side dish from Palermo, is exactly that sort of Mediterranean magic: humble ingredients, generous flavour.
This summery medley of aubergines, courgettes, peppers, potatoes and sweet Pachino tomatoes is slowly brought together until the vegetables relax into one another, creating a dish that’s mellow, fragrant and irresistibly moreish. Whether served cool on a warm evening or simply at room temperature alongside grilled meat or fish, it brings the easy charm of Sicilian cooking straight to the table.
👨🍳 Preparation
- 1
Cut the aubergines into cubes, sprinkle with salt and leave them to drain in a colander for at least 30 minutes to remove any bitterness.
- 2
Rinse, dry and chop the peppers, courgettes and potatoes. Slice the onion and halve the tomatoes.
- 3
Rinse the salted aubergines and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
- 4
In a large non-stick frying pan, fry the potatoes in extra-virgin olive oil until golden. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
- 5
Continue frying the peppers, courgettes, aubergines and finally the onions, adding each batch to the bowl as it’s ready.
- 6
Season with salt and pepper, then gently mix the fried vegetables together.
- 7
Return everything to the pan with a little oil, add the halved tomatoes and torn basil leaves.
- 8
Cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and their flavours have blended.
- 9
Leave to rest for a couple of hours, then serve the Sicilian Canazzo cold or at room temperature.
💡 Tips and Variations
For a deeper, more savoury edge, add a handful of black olives or a spoonful of capers. If you’d prefer something lighter, roast the vegetables in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil instead of frying - you’ll still get beautiful Mediterranean flavours, just with a gentler finish.
📦 Storage
- • Keep the Canazzo in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
- • Always serve at room temperature to enjoy its full Mediterranean aroma.
- • Avoid freezing, as the texture of the vegetables can deteriorate.
🍷 Pairing
This dish is lovely with a glass of a young, fruity Sicilian red such as a Nero d’Avola or a light Frappato, both of which complement the sweetness of the vegetables and the richness of the olive oil.
Bursting with colour and unmistakably Mediterranean, Sicilian Canazzo celebrates the sun-drenched generosity of Palermo’s cooking. Simple, wholesome and deeply satisfying, it’s the sort of dish that turns even an ordinary meal into something quietly special - best enjoyed with crusty bread and a leisurely glass of wine.
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