A Sicilian dinner at home

Antipasto

Caponata

Sweet and sour eggplant stew · 1 hour, plus cooling

You’ll need

• 2 eggplants, about 1⅓ lb (600 g)
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 onion
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• 1 can crushed tomatoes, 14 oz (400 g)
• 2 tbsp capers
• ⅔ cup pitted green olives (100 g)
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar (60 ml)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• about ½ cup olive oil (100 ml)
• salt

How to make it

1. Cut the eggplants into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes.
2. Heat half the oil in a large pan and fry the eggplant in two batches until golden. Set aside.
3. Chop the onion and celery and soften them in the rest of the oil for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the capers and olives. Mix the vinegar and sugar, pour into the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Stir in the eggplant and simmer for 5 more minutes. Season with salt.
7. Let it cool to room temperature and top with torn basil. Caponata is even better the next day.

Wine: Grillo, a crisp Sicilian white

Primo

Pasta alla Norma

Pasta with fried eggplant, tomato and salted ricotta · 45 minutes

You’ll need

• 2 eggplants, about 1⅓ lb (600 g)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• 3.5 oz ricotta salata or pecorino romano, grated (100 g)
• 14 oz rigatoni (400 g)
• 2 cans crushed tomatoes, 14 oz each (800 g total)
• about ½ cup olive oil (100 ml)
• salt

How to make it

1. Cube the eggplants and fry them in the oil until golden. Drain on paper towels.
2. Soften the chopped garlic in a pan for a minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and a few basil leaves.
4. Cook the pasta in plenty of well-salted water, following the package.
5. Toss the pasta and half the eggplant with the sauce.
6. Serve topped with the rest of the eggplant, the grated cheese and basil.

Wine: Cerasuolo di Vittoria, a light Sicilian red. Our friend Fulvio’s favorite

Secondo

Involtini di pesce spada

Stuffed swordfish rolls · 40 minutes

You’ll need

• 1⅓ lb swordfish or tuna steaks (600 g), fresh or frozen
• 1 lemon
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 red onion
• 2 tbsp grated pecorino romano
• ½ cup plain breadcrumbs (about 40 g)
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 8 bay leaves
• ¼ cup olive oil (60 ml)

How to make it

1. If the fish is frozen, thaw it in the fridge overnight.
2. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
3. Slice the fish thin, about ¼ inch (5 mm), and pound the slices lightly between sheets of plastic wrap.
4. Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry pan until golden. Mix in the raisins, pine nuts, cheese, chopped parsley and garlic, the grated lemon zest and 2 tbsp of the oil.
5. Spread the filling on the slices and roll them up.
6. Thread the rolls onto skewers, alternating with bay leaves and pieces of red onion.
7. Brush with oil and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Wine: Etna Bianco, a white from the slopes of Mount Etna

Dolce

Cannoli

Crisp pastry shells filled with sweet ricotta · 20 minutes, plus draining the ricotta

You’ll need

• 2 tubs whole-milk ricotta, about 1 lb (500 g)
• 8 ready-made cannoli shells, from an Italian deli, many supermarkets or online
• ½ cup powdered sugar (about 60 g)
• 1 orange, for the zest
• 1.75 oz dark chocolate (50 g)
• ¼ cup shelled pistachios (30 g)

How to make it

1. Drain the ricotta in a sieve in the fridge for at least an hour, ideally overnight.
2. Mix the ricotta, powdered sugar and orange zest until smooth.
3. Chop the chocolate and stir half of it into the filling.
4. Fill the shells just before serving so they stay crisp.
5. Press chopped pistachios and the rest of the chocolate into the ends.

Wine: Passito di Pantelleria or Marsala, both sweet

Shopping list

Produce

• 4 eggplants, about 2½ lb (1.2 kg)
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 onion and 1 red onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 bunches fresh basil
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon
• 1 orange

Seafood

• 1⅓ lb swordfish or tuna steaks (600 g), fresh or frozen

Cheese and dairy

• about 5 oz pecorino romano or ricotta salata (150 g)
• 2 tubs whole-milk ricotta, about 1 lb (500 g)

Pantry

• 1 lb box rigatoni
• 3 cans crushed tomatoes, 14 oz each
• 1 jar capers
• 1 jar pitted green olives
• red wine vinegar
• sugar and powdered sugar
• olive oil, about 1¼ cups (300 ml)
• plain breadcrumbs
• raisins
• pine nuts
• bay leaves
• 8 ready-made cannoli shells
• 1.75 oz dark chocolate (50 g)
• ¼ cup shelled pistachios (30 g)

Wine

• Grillo (antipasto)
• Cerasuolo di Vittoria (primo)
• Etna Bianco (secondo)
• Passito di Pantelleria or Marsala (dolce)

Any good wine shop can help you find Sicilian wines. Ask for the grape or style if the exact label isn’t in stock: Grillo, Nero d’Avola or Frappato are easy Sicilian substitutes.