As we grew up knowing that Italy was shaped like a big boot and that the depth of the country meant that there were many differences between the food in the south and the north of Italy, I came to Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, with the simple desire to eat there.
01
All-you-can-eat seafood
At half past eight in the morning, the vendors at the fish market begin their busy day. Mussels, oysters, melon seeds, cuttlefish, octopus, sea bass...... All sorts of fresh catches, which I could name or couldn't name, were washed and neatly arranged in the stalls.
It has to be said that Italians have always treated their ingredients in the same way as works of art: the peeled shrimp and fish are so white that they are best used for sashimi. Crispy octopus can also be grilled over a fire, allowing for maximum flavor without any seasoning.
The mussels are boiled with fresh and plump tomatoes, and the aroma of parsley, the acidity of tomatoes, and the freshness of mussels, make all the salty smell of sea water disappear. At this time, even if it is only accompanied by a small piece of simple white meal bag, it is guaranteed to be able to sweep away the dishes to the plate. Of course, there are also seafood risotto, fried squid and fried fish steak, and under the blue sea and blue sky of the Mediterranean, there is always a wide variety of seafood to satisfy diners.
A grilled trash fish platter is also a good choice. The skin of the fish is grilled crispy on a charcoal fire, with a charcoal aroma; The fish is slow-roasted until tender, crispy and soft; A thin layer of olive oil and parsley leaves sprinkled on the surface of the fish before serving can stimulate the tension of appetite the most, and the unique aroma of olive oil mixed with the strange aroma of spices effectively solves the lack of fat and fat of the fish itself.
Stuffed squid with cousmi is also a good choice. The pre-flavored cousce is filled into the cavity, and the cooking is crispy on the outside and glutinous on the inside, and the taste is simply amazing.
As for fresh oysters, they can be eaten by standing on the side of the road. At the entrance of the fish market, the shells of the oysters are washed to a white and clean surface, and whenever someone comes, they can pry them with a knife to achieve a seamless connection from the sea to the mouth. Don't look at the way of eating, which is simple and direct, but the content of the food is absolutely sloppy. White wine is prepared next to each stall, after all, how can you settle for such a thing as eating?
02
The mouth was smeared with honey
There are so many desserts in Italy that if you only know about tiramisu, you don't know anything about Italian desserts.
One of the most iconic street desserts in Sicily is Cannoli, a pancake with a creamy filling. In the movie "The Godfather", the phrase "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli. (Put down your gun and take Cannoli with you.) This classic dessert has been transformed into a magical prop that makes people shake hands and make peace, and "mouth" enmity and hatred.
Cannoli丨flickr / mat's eye
Cannoli is usually the size of a palm, with a crispy wrap on the crust and filled with a soft, sweet ricotta filling. The particular shop will wait for you to order before filling the crispy roll with the filling to ensure that the crust is crispy and delicious. The common Canooli comes in white, green and black, and is often decorated with cherry and orange peel with crushed nuts or pickled in sugar, corresponding to the original, pistachio and chocolate flavors.
The front left is a simple roll, and the back is the filling to be filled
Cannoli is delicious, and ricotta cheese is indispensable. Unlike regular cheese, ricotta cheese is slightly sour, neither too sweet nor too fatty, and has a smooth texture and light taste. In Sicily, people also add Sicilian specialty masala wine to the filling to intensify the flavor.
In addition to Cannoli, Cassatina is a dessert that can only be found in Sicily. The fluffy sponge cake base with silky cream and marzipan frosting makes the cake look small, from the pale green color scheme to the varied texture, it is a surprise wrapped in layers.
Gelato cones are the sweet code to save the hot summer, and they come in hundreds of flavors, and each store has its own recipe. The most classic are pistachio, vanilla, yogurt and coffee, but there are also a variety of milk or non-dairy fruit flavors based on a variety of fresh seasonal fruits, and a variety of complex chocolate flavors such as kinder, nutella and kit kat.
Generally speaking, gelato alone is very greasy and always thirstier because it is too sweet, but the Italians who love to eat gelato with Brioche bread are really amazing. The sweet butter bread has an invisibly extra layer of "sweet filling" with a variety of flavors, and this genius combination is hard not to admire. However, the only drawback is that you can't take it out, and you have to be on the spot to satisfy your cravings.
There's also a tiny sandwich ice cream with a mini egg roll or cookie on the outside, usually in almond milk, coffee or chocolate flavors. They are often placed in the cabinet at the door, one at a time, and two can be eliminated every time you queue up to buy gelato, which can be called the Sicilian version of the "eighth power".
03
A cup of fruit juice
The land of Sicily may have been blessed, and the bright sunshine has made it abundant, especially melons, fruits, pears, peaches, and citrus melons. At the beginning of May, when the fruits ripen early, plump oranges and pomegranates are cut in half and freshly squeezed juices are sold along the streets.
In addition to freshly squeezed juices, Sicilians also prefer lemon-flavored smoothies and sorbets. Lemon smoothies are fairly simple to make, requiring only lemon juice, sugar, and water, and then constantly refrigerating and stirring, but only one thing: it's too sweet.
Whereas, lemon sorbet is mainly made from frozen lemon juice. Fresh lemon jam and syrup are usually mixed well and whipped in an ice cream maker to create a lemon sorbet with distinct ice grains and a rustling texture.
Lemon sorbet
Pistachios are a specialty of Sicily, and the pale green pistachios are beaten into a pistachio smoothie, which is refreshing from the color to the taste. Italian desserts are generally very sweet, no wonder the locals love to laugh so much, it must be that the happiness brought by desserts is overflowing.
04
Staple food can't be less
When you think of Italy, the first thing that comes to mind is pasta, but in addition to the stereotypical pasta with tomato bolognese and the "melt-in-the-mouth" lasagna that Garfield praises, in Sicily, people prefer to use butterflies, spirals or shell-shaped short pastas for salads. Cooked and cooled pastas are perfect with fresh seasonal vegetables or with sweet and savory seafood, and their special shape ensures that they are as much as possible with the salad dressing.
Deep-fried rice balls are also a specialty of Sicily, where people hide their creativity in the golden cone-shaped rice balls, which can be vegetarian fillings, such as spinach with mozzarella cheese, pistachio with mozzarella cheese, artichokes with carrots, walnuts with cheese...... It can also be stuffed with meat, such as eggplant salmon, sausage broccoli, cuttlefish ham, seafood tomato......
These pairings go far beyond our daily recipes, but they are delicious. The crispy aroma of the rice and the softness of the filling, when you take a big bite while it's hot, the sense of happiness is like the waves that keep crashing on the reef, which is simply endless satisfaction.
The freshly made panini is simply delicious. Don't look like it looks like a sandwich, but it has to be made with ciabatta bread to be called panini. In Sicily, it is customary to stand in front of a long counter to buy panini made on the spot.
From the type of cheese, to the selection of side dishes, to the combination of meat, it can be completely customized. As for the sauces, the counter is full of them, so you can choose as you like. At first glance, it's the Italian version of Subway!
Sicily never disappoints, but this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Sicilian cuisine. Eggplant gratin, a steak sandwich with cheese and a seafood soup full of sea flavors also claim a place. But everything about this island is inexhaustible. There is no doubt about it: the beauty of Sicily is not just a legend, and Italians have always competed with the Chinese and the French for the championship and third place in the best cuisine.