Top Ten Must Try Authentic Sicilian Recipes

Without a doubt Sicily's most iconic dessert known all over the world are cannoli! Of course, you can choose between a custard cream or ricotta filling but I'll choose ricotta each time. This is my mother's recipe which I have enjoyed all my life. Making your own cannoli is more time consuming than most desserts. But trust me when I say they are well worth the effort!

Nowadays you'll find endless variations of arancini fillings in Sicily ranging from prosciutto to fish and seafood.  However, in my opinion, the classic ragu with peas filled arancini remain my all time favorite. Just like my mom always makes!

Freshly baked brioche with granita are enjoyed all over Sicily for breakfast, for mid-morning snack time or even a late night snack. It is not uncommon to enjoy more than one per day! Other than stuffing them with gelato, the classic pairing for brioche is granita. I love traditional lemon granita however a second favorite would be this blueberry granita, a must try!

Delicious crisp panelle or chickpea fritters are a typical street food in Sicily. And they're even better when served in a panino (bread roll), especially a sesame seed topped panini and drizzled with lemon juice. I enjoyed this delicious sandwich sitting on a picture perfect beach at Riserva dello Zingaro. Check out that photo here!

This Sicilian style pizza is in fact not referred to as a pizza at all in Sicily. Sfincione has a thick crust and is topped with a tomato sauce with lots of onions, crisp breadcrumbs and grated caciocavallo cheese. And, if you enjoy them, anchovies as well!

There's no doubt that the humble eggplant is the star of many Sicilian dishes including Pasta alla Norma and Eggplant Parmigiana.  Caponata is unique in that it combines sweet and sour flavors for a unique dish which is delicious served hot or cold and can be an entire meal on it's own! 

In the province of Trapani busiate with pesto alla Trapanese rules supreme. This beautiful telephone cord shaped pasta is made with only 2 ingredients, semolina flour and water, and is almost always topped with a flavorful pesto made with cherry tomatoes, almonds, garlic and basil. The perfect summer pasta dish!

Not many are familiar with this amazing dish which originates in my parent's part of Sicily in the province of Messina. This is served in most restaurants in the area as well as for special occasions. Eggplant slices are wrapped around homemade maccaruna pasta with tomato sauce and plenty of ricotta salata for the perfect main dish. Not to be missed!

Pignolata also known as struffoli, cicerchiate or turdilli in different regions of Italy have always been part of our Christmas dessert table when my aunt was living. However, in Sicily, I had the pleasure of enjoying them on numerous occasions other than the Christmas holidays. And why not, after all why should these tasty little morsels drenched in honey be reserved for only one day throughout the year?

And last but not least on my list: rosticceria foods!  Although these are not considered as a meal in themselves, I was taken with these small bites that are found in bars and cafés all over the island. You'll also find them in rest area cafeterias. Our typical North American fast food rest area restaurants can't hold a candle to these delicious rollo with wurstel, mini pizzas or calzones!  These are the perfect party finger foods or quick lunch in my opinion!