Romanesco Goes to Sicily

Sicily has been on my mind. Both my maternal grandparents came from Sicily, but I never met that grandfather, Antonio, who died before I was born. My maternal grandmother, Francesco, died when I was nine years old. Interestingly, it is because of my grandfather’s early death that Michele and I were able to obtain our Italian citizenship: he never became an American citizen, which qualified us to become citizens of his country. Sicily, the place one set of my grandparents left, was my key to becoming officially Italian!

We know my dad’s Italian family well: we have spent lots of time with our wonderful cousins in the town, Senigallia, on the Adriatic coast in Le Marche, that my paternal grandfather left in 1911 to seek his fortune in America. But my mother’s family in Italy has always been a bit of an unknown.

That’s all about to change this September: We have been invited to the wedding of a lovely cousin on our mother’s side of the family: an authentic Italian-no, Sicilian-wedding! Lots of family will be there too, of course, including many we have never met, so we are beyond excited for this reunion and celebration of a new couple, which will take place on Sicily’s north coast not far from the town where my maternal grandparents met, were wed, and left to come to America.

The last time I visited Sicily was a long time ago and I really don’t remember it. Both Michele and I are looking forward to soaking up the food and wine culture. We are carefully planning our trip to avoid the potential (read: probable) “White Lotus, Season 2” crowds. That show was largely filmed in Taormina, so we will definitely avoid that part of the island. (Fortunately we all visited Taormina briefly in 2007, so there are plenty of other wonderful places to see.)

Sicilian-American food was all around me growing up, so it will be very interesting to see what Sicilian food looks like today in modern Italy. Friends who have traveled there recently, and have palettes I trust, tell me that some of the best food and wine in Italy is now Sicilian. What I remember most from my Italian-American upbringing are cannoli and Sfincione (Sicilian Pizza). Summer rice salad and cassata (cake) are also from Sicily.

Sicily is also well known for sweet-and-sour dishes. That flavor profile is the inspiration for this recipe. Thought to have come from the Arabs, sweet (raisins and pine nuts) and sour (lemons, olives, capers) have worked their way into favorite Sicilian dishes like caponata, or beef (or swordfish) involtini.

In the summertime, I enjoy the simple cooking of a roasted or grilled chicken and a nice light-but-flavorful vegetable. Sicilian flavors can transform an otherwise-pedestrian vegetable dish into a beguiling treat. This sweet-and-sour preparation of Romanesco broccoli surely fills the bill.

Buon Appetito!