Ingredients

Octopus is a cherished staple of Sicilian coastal cuisine, enjoyed boiled, grilled, braised or as the star of many traditional dishes.

Radishes are root vegetables with a gently peppery flavour, eaten raw in salads or served as a fresh side dish in Sicilian cookery.

The snake gourd, known in Sicily as cucuzza, is a long, curved vegetable with delicate flesh, traditional in Sicilian cuisine for soups, frittatas and summer dishes.

The loquat is a sweet, fragrant spring fruit, traditionally cultivated in Sicily and enjoyed fresh or used in jams and sweet preparations.

Chocolate is a fundamental ingredient in Sicilian pastry, used in iconic desserts such as cannoli and cassata, and in numerous traditional preparations.

Thyme is a Mediterranean aromatic herb with an intense fragrance, used in Sicilian cooking to flavour meats, sauces, roasts and traditional preparations.

Grouper is a prized sea fish with firm white flesh, a highlight of Sicilian cuisine in both refined preparations and traditional dishes.

Apple is a versatile fruit grown in the Sicilian mountain areas, eaten fresh and used in sweets, preserves, and traditional preparations.

Carob is the fruit of the carob tree, a typical Mediterranean species, used in Sicilian cuisine both fresh and processed into a sweet, nutritious flour.

Fish stock is a fragrant, flavourful marine base, essential for soups, risottos and preparations of Sicilian seafood cookery.

Seed oil is a vegetable fat obtained from oil-rich seeds, used in cooking for frying and preparations where a neutral flavour is desired.

Borage is a wild herb with hairy leaves and blue flowers, widely used in Sicilian cooking for fillings, frittatas and soups.

Soles are prized flatfish with white, delicate flesh, appreciated in Sicilian cookery for both refined and simple preparations.

Figs are sweet, succulent fruits much loved in Sicily, eaten fresh, dried or used in numerous sweet and savoury preparations of tradition.

Mustard is a pungent condiment made from the seeds of plants of the Brassica genus, used in Sicilian cookery to enhance meats, sauces and traditional preparations.

Busiate are a fresh pasta shape typical of western Sicily, with their distinctive twisted form, a symbol of the Trapanese culinary tradition.

Blackberries are wild or cultivated fruits of the bramble, gathered in summer across the Sicilian countryside and used fresh or in jams, sweets and syrups.

Dentex is a prized sea fish with delicate white flesh, highly appreciated in Sicilian cuisine for refined preparations and traditional dishes.

Capers are the flower buds of the Capparis spinosa plant, a fundamental ingredient in Sicilian cuisine with an intense, distinctive flavour.

Vanilla is a prized spice with a sweet, enveloping aroma, widely used in Sicilian pastry to flavour desserts, creams and traditional preparations.

Marjoram is a delicate, aromatic herb used in Sicilian cooking to flavour meat, fish, vegetables and traditional preparations.

Squid are cephalopod molluscs highly prized in Sicilian cuisine, central to numerous preparations thanks to their delicate flavour and tender flesh.

Langoustines are prized crustaceans with sweet, delicate flesh, appreciated in Sicilian cuisine for elegant and refined preparations.

Courgette flowers are delicate, versatile edible blossoms used in Sicilian cuisine for fritters, frying and stuffed preparations in traditional dishes.

Bread is a staple of Sicilian cuisine, prepared in numerous traditional varieties with durum wheat, symbol of the island’s culture and heritage.

Strawberries are fragrant, sweet red fruits grown in Sicily and used fresh, in desserts, jams and in traditional springtime preparations.

Broccolini is a green vegetable with tender inflorescences, widely used in Sicilian cuisine for pasta dishes, side dishes and traditional preparations.

Walnuts are oily tree nuts grown in Sicily’s hill regions, used in pastries, traditional sweets and both sweet and savoury preparations.

Escarole is a winter leafy green with broad, slightly bitter leaves, used in Sicilian cuisine both raw and cooked in many traditional dishes.

Mutton is the meat of a mature sheep, a traditional ingredient of Sicilian pastoral cuisine with a distinctive and robust flavour.

Perch is a freshwater fish appreciated for its white, delicate flesh, caught in Sicilian lakes and prepared in simple ways.

Chicory is a wild and cultivated herb with a pleasantly bitter flavour, widely used in Sicilian cooking for side dishes, soups, and salads.

Margarine is a vegetable-based fat used in pastry and cooking as an alternative to butter, with distinct characteristics and specific culinary uses.

Cocoa powder is a fundamental ingredient in Sicilian pastry-making, used to prepare chocolate desserts, creams, and granitas.

Sesame is an oil-rich seed with countless virtues, used in Sicilian cuisine for bread, sweets, and traditional preparations of Arab origin.

Nutmeg is a warm, intensely aromatic spice used in Sicilian cuisine to flavour fillings, béchamel, desserts, and traditional preparations.

Cardoons are vegetables with a delicate, slightly bitter flavour, highly appreciated in traditional Sicilian cuisine for gratins, frittatas, and soups.

Yogurt is a fermented dairy product used in modern Sicilian cuisine for sweet and savoury dishes, sauces, and as a healthy probiotic-rich food.

Sage is a Mediterranean aromatic herb with an intense fragrance, used in Sicilian cuisine to flavour meats, sauces, fried dishes, and traditional preparations.

Semolina is a coarse flour made from durum wheat, used in Sicilian cuisine for sweets, soups, gnocchi, and traditional preparations.

Candied fruit is fruit preserved in sugar, a prized ingredient in Sicilian confectionery used to decorate and enrich cassate, cannoli, and Christmas sweets.

Jam is a sweet fruit preserve cooked with sugar, traditionally prepared in Sicily to store seasonal fruit and used in many sweet recipes.

Meat broth is a rich, nourishing cooking base and a fundamental element of traditional Sicilian cuisine.

Sponge cake is a soft, airy base of classic pastry, used for filled cakes, spoon desserts and preparations from the Sicilian tradition.

Mandarins are sweet, fragrant citrus fruits abundantly cultivated in Sicily, enjoyed fresh and used in desserts, marmalades and traditional preparations.

Precious and fragrant, saffron lends colour and aroma to Sicilian dishes: discover its origins, curiosities and traditional recipes that highlight its magic.

The stock cube is an industrial preparation used as a base for broths and soups, which entered modern Sicilian cooking as a practical alternative to traditional homemade broth.

Cuttlefish are prized cephalopod molluscs with tender, delicate flesh, starring in traditional Sicilian dishes such as cuttlefish in black ink and stuffed cuttlefish.

Chestnuts are the fruits of the chestnut tree, a traditional staple of Sicily’s mountain regions and the stars of sweet and savoury dishes in autumnal cuisine.

Vanillin is the main aromatic compound in vanilla, produced synthetically or extracted naturally, used as an inexpensive flavouring in pastry and the food industry.

Horseradish is a pungent, spicy root used in Sicilian cuisine to enhance boiled meats, fish and sauces.

Maize is an American cereal introduced to Sicily after the discovery of the Americas, used for polenta, flours and traditional dishes of rural cuisine.

Hazelnuts are tree nuts grown in Sicily’s mountain regions, used in pastry-making, traditional sweets and both sweet and savoury preparations.

Mackerel is a rich, flavourful oily fish cherished in Sicilian cuisine for its fatty, nutritious flesh, typically grilled, baked or marinated.

Prickly pears are iconic fruits of the Sicilian landscape, sweet and refreshing, and central to a centuries-old tradition of harvesting and enjoying them.

Vegetable broth is a light, aromatic base made from fresh vegetables, a versatile foundation for soups, risottos and many Sicilian preparations.

Tomato extract, or tomato paste, is a key ingredient in Sicilian cooking, made by slowly cooking and concentrating tomato pulp.

Coffee is an aromatic beverage obtained by grinding roasted Coffea seeds, central to Sicilian tradition and widely used in pastry.

Sardines are abundant blue fish in Sicilian waters, starring in iconic dishes such as pasta with sardines and sarde a beccafico.

Juvenile blue fish includes the very young anchovies and sardines traditionally fished and consumed in Sicily in delicate preparations.