The Sicilian Recipes Project
Our blog was established in 2012 with an ambitious aim: to become a definitive resource for anyone wishing to explore or rediscover the delicious recipes of traditional Sicilian cuisine.
On this blog, you'll find exclusively authentic Sicilian recipes, the vast majority rooted in the island's rich culinary heritage. Some have even been reinterpreted by our passionate readers, who enthusiastically share their creations and variations of classic Sicilian dishes.
The ingredients used in our recipes are strictly of Sicilian origin. You won't find products such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, or Emmental here—excellent cheeses, certainly—but they have no place in authentic Sicilian tradition.
Our choice to use exclusively local ingredients, such as the exquisite Pecorino Siciliano DOP or the renowned Ragusano DOP cheese in our published recipes, reflects our dedication to promoting the island's culinary traditions.
Lose Yourself Amongst Aromas and Flavours
Anelletti al forno
Sicily, a captivating land in many respects, knows how to tempt visitors above all through the palate. How can one resist Sicilian cuisine, so rich in irresistible flavours and aromas?
The names of dishes such as anelletti al forno, stuffed calamari, aubergine parmigiana, and pasta with cuttlefish ink are enough to make one's mouth water.
Sicilian cuisine stands out amongst Italy's various regional cuisines for its extraordinary richness and diversity. Each typical Sicilian recipe bears witness to the identity, traditions, and history of the Sicilian people.
Sicilian Recipes: Born from the Monsù but Also from the Common Folk
Rabbit Argentiere Style
Classic Sicilian recipes are principally divided into two distinctive categories. On one hand, we find those inspired by the culinary tradition of the great chefs who served the nobility, known as "monsù". On the other, there are the Sicilian recipes that originated in the traditions of common people.
This distinction is particularly evident in Palermitan cuisine, which boasts sumptuous, elaborate recipes, but also more humble preparations. The latter were born from the ingenuity of the working classes, who sought to emulate noble dishes using more accessible ingredients.
From this creativity emerged authentic gastronomic masterpieces, such as aubergine quail, sardines a linguata, cheese or rabbit argentiere, ficatu dî sette cannola, and many other delicious recipes.
Our aim is to guide you on an exploratory journey through traditional Sicilian recipes and the rich gastronomic culture of the Mediterranean's largest island. This culinary tradition is the result of a true cultural melting pot, with influences from Arab, Spanish, French, and numerous other cultures.
Sicilian Recipes Through a Geographical Journey of Taste
We shall often reference the recipes of the island's territories and their invaluable contribution to the formation of Sicilian cuisine, which is indisputably without rival anywhere in the world.
Palermo
Quarume
🍕 Street Food
Let us begin by exploring the cuisine of Palermo's working-class quarters and its renowned street food culture. Amongst the delicacies worth mentioning are sfincione, arancine, Palermitan crostini, bread with panelle and cazzilli, quarume, mussu e carcagnola, la frittola, purpu a stricasale, and pani câ meusa…
🍝 First and Second Courses
Dishes such as baked pasta, sardines a beccafico, pasta with sardines, and aubergine caponata are so famous and beloved that they practically represent symbols of the city itself.
🍰 Sweets
And what of the delicious ricotta-based sweets, such as cassata and cannoli? Or the tetù and teio and marzipan fruit, typical during the period of All Souls' Day?
Palermitan cuisine contributes significantly to the enormous heritage of typical Sicilian recipes, enriching it with its extraordinary variety and excellence.
Messina
Stockfish ghiotta Messina style
🌊 Seafood Specialities
Moving now to the eastern part of Sicily, amongst Messina's exquisite recipes we find stockfish ghiotta and the celebrated pasta 'ncasciata Messina style.
🍖 Street Food
Messina cuisine also features Messina pitoni, taioni, and the famous Messina focaccia laden with tuma, tomato, and escarole.
🥮 Typical Sweets
Amongst the sweets, standouts include fraviole, viennese, and black and white.
Messina's culinary tradition skilfully unites the flavours of the sea with inland ingredients, creating unique and memorable dishes.
Catania
Pasta alla Norma
🍝 The Iconic Dish
Catania is renowned worldwide for pasta alla Norma, a dish that perfectly combines fried aubergines, tomato, salted ricotta, and basil. A true masterpiece of Sicilian cuisine!
🐟 Fish, Meat, and Vegetables
Catanian cuisine also offers sardine meatballs, horse meatballs, and traditional Catanian stuffed aubergines.
🍰 Pastries
Amongst the sweets stand Sant'Agata olives, rice zeppole, and Sant'Agata's breasts.
Catanian cuisine, like Mount Etna looming over the city, is powerful, authentic, and rich with flavours that explode on the palate.
Syracuse
Mucatoli
🍝 First Courses
The province of Syracuse offers delicacies such as fried pasta Syracuse style, lolli with broad beans, and pasta with Moorish sauce.
🥘 Mains and Sides
Not to be missed are rabbit stimpirata, puppetti di muccu, and Syracuse bobbia.
🍪 Ancient Sweets
Syracuse's confectionery tradition boasts totò, nucatoli, and pupi cull'ovu.
Syracuse cuisine reflects the city's millennial history, blending Greek, Roman, and Arab influences into dishes of rare elegance.
Ragusa
'Mpanatigghi
🥖 Baked Specialities
Ragusa is famous for scacce, focaccias stuffed with various ingredients, and for the use of precious Ragusano DOP cheese in many preparations.
🍲 Typical Dishes
Amongst traditional dishes we find ricotta ravioli, cavati with sauce, and impanate.
🍫 Chocolate Sweets
Ragusa's confectionery is renowned for Modica chocolate, 'mpanatigghi, and ricotta cassatelle.
Ragusa cuisine celebrates the produce of the Hyblaean land, with exceptional cheeses and chocolate that is unique in the world.
Enna
Vastedda cû sammucu di Troina
🌾 Inland Cuisine
In the heart of Sicily, Enna proposes a mountain and rustic cuisine with dishes such as pasta 'ncaciata' and sweet-and-sour macaroni.
🥩 Hearty Mains
Amongst the main courses stand ciarbiḍḍuzzu abbuttunatu, vasteḍḍa cû sammucu di Troina, and frascatula.
🥐 Convent Sweets
Enna's confectionery tradition includes cuffiteḍḍi, pasta siringata from Barrafranca, and cassatelle from Agira.
Enna cuisine is authentic and genuine, based on robust flavours and simple ingredients from the peasant tradition.
Caltanissetta
Nissena fuata
🍝 Homemade Pasta
Caltanissetta is renowned for cavati with sausage sauce, a handmade pasta in a format typical of the area, and for homemade macaroni.
🐑 Meat and Typical Mains
Amongst the main courses stand baked lamb, nissena flatbread with tuma and spinach, and fuata.
🍯 Traditional Sweets
Nissena confectionery boasts the celebrated torrone, cuḍḍireḍḍi from Delia, and almond sweets.
Nissena culinary tradition celebrates the flavours of inland Sicily with hearty and genuine dishes.
Agrigento
Pasta with broad beans and ricotta
🐟 Sea and Mountains
Agrigento's gastronomy is surprisingly varied, a true reflection of the geographical diversity that characterises this province.
🥘 Typical Dishes
Amongst local specialities we find cuttlefish soup from Siculiana, broad bean mash, and Agrigento pizza.
🍯 Sweets and Almonds
Agrigento's confectionery excels in hedgehog biscuits, Elena pastries, and Easter lamb from Favara.
Agrigento cuisine, like the Valley of the Temples, unites ancient history and Mediterranean flavours in perfect harmony.
Trapani
Trapani couscous
🌊 The King: Couscous
Trapani is the capital of couscous Trapani style, the province's emblematic dish. Equally famous is pasta with Trapani pesto, based on almonds, tomato, and basil.
🐟 Fish and Tuna
The maritime tradition offers tonnina, stuffed tuna, and busiate, a typical local pasta.
🥐 Convent Sweets
Trapani sweets include Erice genovesi, graffe with ricotta, and cassatelle.
Trapani cuisine is a bridge between Sicily and North Africa, with flavours that tell of centuries of cultural and commercial exchange.
Sicilian Recipes Needs You! 🍝
Dear reader, please know that ricettedisicilia.org is open to your active participation: should you wish, you may share your culinary creations with us—your personalised versions of the recipes.
Our team will select the finest contributions and make them available in our vast recipe archive for all users to enjoy.
Have we managed to pique your curiosity?
We wish you a fantastic journey discovering Sicilian recipes and... buon appetito! 🎉