A bold sauce incorporating the flavors of Sicily like raisins, anchovies, and capers coat the long strands of spaghetti in this easy weeknight dinner. Almonds, Parmesan, and olive oil step in to temper the bite of the more assertive ingredients, resulting in a delightfully sweet-and-sour flavor profile.

Classic Sicilian dishes include deep fried street food, lots of offal, fresh seafood and so much more. Here's a guide to Sicilian food.

CHIAVARI, Italy - Compact and decidedly Sicilian Baroque, the town of Acireale on the east coast of Sicily is 10 miles from Catania and 26 miles from Mt. Etna. The distance from Mt. Etna is important as that’s where Acesi used to go to collect snow when they wanted to make granita. Winter on Mt. Etna, Sicily The Aces don’t climb Mt. Etna for snow any more, those days are long gone, but their passion for granita is as strong as ever. In fact there is a grand Granita Festival held here every year called "A ‘nivarata” (http://www.nivarata.it/en/blog/#). The name “nivarata” comes from the word “nivaroli”, which is what the people who used to collect the snow from Mt. Etna were called. In order to keep the snow from melting, they stored it in special stone buildings that they built over natural caves called “case (houses) di neviere”. Peach Granita While granita we eat today was created by Sicilians, the idea originated with the Arabs who ruled the island for almost four hundred years. During that time they introduced the locals to a refreshing iced drink which they flavored with fruit syrup or rose water. The Sicilians took the idea one step further. Instead of an iced drink, they collected snow/ice from Mt. Etna and during the hot summer months the ice was grated and covered with fruit syrup or rose water creating what we now know as granita. This simple,but ingenious idea has evolved over the centuries, and now frozen snow, aka granita, comes in a infinite variety of flavors from lemon, almond, mandarin orange, jasmine, coffee, mint, pistachio, tangerine, and when in season wild strawberries and blackberries. Refreshing Sicilian Breakfast - Pistachio Granita and Brioche There are actually dozens more exotic flavors and flavor combinations such as "oro verde di Sicilia” with pistachio and tangerine, and 'za Tanina "with chopped almonds, “the Delights of Etna” with almonds, cream, vanilla, orange juice, fresh strawberries and pistachios and "Cremeuse of Sicily "with almonds, lemon, anise, mint, cinnamon water and mandarin orange, and Acireale is the best place to sample all of them. Acireale’s most famous ice cream/granita maker was a man they called Don Angilinu 'u gilataru. He learned how to make ice cream and granita working in a local gelateria. After a few years he went into business for himself. He converted a three wheel bicycle to hold containers of ice cream and granita and peddled from piazza to piazza and through the streets of Acireale selling his frozen confections. Don Angilinu 'u gilataru ”During the 1940’s when my father was selling granita from his bicycle, the favorite flavors were almond coffee and chocolate,” says Santo Trovato, the son of Don Angilinu ‘u gilataru. “He would start making ice cream and granita at 3 in the morning producing about 80 kilos (160 lbs) of granita each day. It wasn’t all for him, there were four others who also sold from bicycle carts and they each carried about twenty liters each.” The granita Don Angilinu ‘u gilataru produced was smooth and sweet. It had a different texture than the granita you’ll find on the other side of the island as the texture of granita changes slightly depending on where you are. In Palermo, and on that side of the island, granita is a little grainy, while in Acireale and the east side of Sicily it is smooth. The variation is the result of different freezing techniques. The smooth versions are produced in an ice cream maker while the grainier version are frozen in metal containers and stirred by hand every once in a while. Here’s an easy recipe for lemon granita you might like to try. If you like your dessert on the sweeter side, increase the amount of sugar shown in the recipe to 1/2 cup. Lemon Granita GRANITA DI LIMONE 2 to 3 large lemons (pesticide free) 1 cup filtered or bottled still water (not distilled) 1/3 cup superfine granulated sugar PREPARATION With a vegetable peeler remove zest in long pieces from 2 lemons. Squeeze 1/2 cup juice from lemons. In a small heavy saucepan heat water and sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in zest and transfer syrup to a bowl to cool. Chill syrup, covered, until cold. Discard zest and stir in lemon juice. For smooth eastern-Sicilian granita: Freeze lemon mixture in an ice-cream maker until spoonable but not crumbly. Serve immediately. For more textured western-Sicilian granita: Freeze lemon mixture in a metal bowl, stirring every 30 minutes to remove ice crystals from side of bowl, until liquid has become granular but is still slightly slushy, about 3 to 4 hours. Serve immediately.

Sicilian arancini are stuffed and fried rice balls that are simply delicious. They can be eaten as an appetizer or side dish.

Sicilian desserts, the sweetest part of the Italian la dolce vita, is a rich part of the Sicilian food culture.

On the streets of Palermo, the only things which stick out more than the ancient palaces are big Sicilian bellies. The sight of obese men puttering around on Vespas is a daily amusement, and even many of the toddlers have a few pounds on me. Of course, it's all perfectly understandable. Along with pizza, pasta and ice cream, Sicilians turn out to be masters of fried food.

Crepes in Broth

A venit randul si caponatei, un aperitiv italian cu vinete tare bun, specific in Sicilia. Neaparat sa il incercati cat se mai gasesc vinete romanesti pe piata. Reteta este inspiratie de la Carmen, careia ii multumesc. Ne trebuie: 4-5 vinete 250 g masline (eu am pus fara samburi) 3 cepe potrivite 4 rosii coapte 2 catei usturoi 2-3 tulpini de telina (nu am pus) 50 g capere (nu am pus) 8 linguri otet 1 lingura zahar 8-10 linguri ulei de masline sare busuioc Cum se face: Ideal ar fi sa aveti vinete mai subtiri, cele mai fara samburi. Taiem vinetele cubulete potrivite si le punem in apa cu sare cca 1-2 ore. Taiem rosiile in jumatate si le dam pe razatoare (mi se pare modalitatea cea mai rapida, dar le puteti decoji daca preferati). Tocam ceapa si usturoiul si le calim in 2-3 linguri de ulei de maline. Dupa ce s-au rumenit, adaugam rosiile, maslinele, caperele scurse si clatite cu putina apa, (eu nu am pus capere si tulpini de telina). Amestecam bine si lasam sa fiarba la foc potrivit, pana se formeaza un sos. Scugem vinetele de apa si le calim in alt vas, in mai multe transe (in 3 transe le-am calit eu) pentru ca sa se patrunda repede si uniorm. Dupa ce am terminat cu vinetele, calim cateva minute si tulpinile de telina, in acelasi vas. Adaugam vinetele si telina peste sosul de rosii si lasam la foc mic cam cca 10 minute. Dupa aceea presaram zaharul si otetul, amestecam, potrivim de sare, mai lasam sa fiarba cca 10 minute. Tare buna calduta dar si mai buna rece. Enjoy!

Simple ingredients turned into an amazing supper that's good enough for guests.

Here are ten of Sicily’s most famous dishes that simply must be tasted if you’re visiting the island.

No need to hop on a plane to eat these. You can make great Sicilian food at home!

Incorporate a taste of Italy into your Thanksgiving feast with these delicious antipasti, pastas, and desserts inspired by fall.

Try this iconic Sfogliatelle recipe (classic or small-batch!). Paper-thin layers of dough and delicious orange and cinnamon scented ricotta cream are simply irresistible.

This Sicilian pasta salad is ideal for warm summer days. It’s easy to make, keeps you full, and you can make a large batch for a potluck party. Read more now.

Arancini siciliani al ragù

Turkey Ossobuco, a riff on the classic veal ossobuco made with turkey drumsticks

This fragrant Sicilian-style stew reflects the influences of other cultures who over the centuries settled in (or invaded) Sicily and brought their own ingredients with them. In particular, the orange rind and cinnamon bring Spanish and Arab cuisine to mind. That said, it is simply a hearty and warming dish to have bubbling away all day in the slow cooker, filling the house with wonderful aromas. You can serve it with pasta or couscous as suggested, or even rice or mashed potato to soak up the sauce.

Fregula cun Cocciula, a Sardinian recipe, features simply steamed clams in a briny white-wine-and-saffron-infused broth with nutty fregola.

Serves : 10 Skill : Medium Prep : 30min Cook : 80min

I have a surprise for you tomorrow. Ssshhh! Let's just say it involves bread and cheese...oh my! But first, in order to make our little surprise tomorrow we first have to whip up a little seasoning mix. Not just any mix...oh no! This is a Sicilian Seasoning mix. This is a great all around mix that you will find many, many, uses for. I mean MANY! Just think of the possibilities. So whip this up right away and seal it in an airtight jar or bottle, it is so worth it! And...when you see what tomorrow's treat is you will be glad you did! (Oh yea, and there will be some other great recipes soon using this same mix as well.) Sicilian Seasoning 2 Tablespoons dried basil 2 Tablespoons dried marjoram 2 Tablespoons dried oregano 2 Tablespoons dried thyme 2 Tablespoons dried savory 1 Teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 Tablespoon dried rosemary (optional) Combine spices in a bowl. For storage place mixture in an airtight jar or bottle.

How to pick a favourite Italian recipe? With so many wonderful pastas and rustic dishes to choose from the task is a difficult one.

A Roman style Easter Lamb Stew with egg and lemon sauce

Fork-tender meatballs in a deliciously flavourful marinara sauce

‘Ragout’ is French, ‘ragù’ Italian, and this meat sauce is certainly inspired by the Sicilian combination of sweet lamb, dried wild mint and crushed chilli flakes, though I’ve added an Anglo note with a little redcurrant jelly. Pappardelle, those egg-rich, wide ribbons, are my favourite here, but do choose any pasta you want. And if you can find a bit of fresh mint to add as you serve, then go for it. For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

This time last year we were in full countdown mode. On December 15th we departed for a three week European holiday that, for me at least, would become the first holiday season where I truly felt le…

This tasty one-skillet dinner borrows the best from the Sicilian kitchen. Olives, capers, lemon, and white wine work magic with golden, meaty chicken thighs.

Like the authentic version of this Italian dessert, our cannoli are filled with fresh ricotta. Cinnamon-infused dough for the shells is rolled, lightly fried, and dipped in chocolate and pistachios.

An easy recipe for a weekday lunch or bright side dish, Sicilian Orange Salad with red onion, parsley & black olives { Insalata di Arance }