The story of Sicilian cuisine and 'as a tale that begins with the classic "once upon a time". 
Begin to tell: There was once a civilization 'classic: the Greeks. 

 

The Greeks from the Cyclades in 735 BC landed on the Ionian coast, near ''s Naxos, and Corinthians of Archie in 734 BC were in Syracuse 
Different, of course, were the news' that make these settlers, and to stay on, at a point of view, food, the art of making wine comes from their own, I'ulivo, the farro and other products already 'Existing on the island, were used in different ways, they had, so to' say, change the Greek port 'with excellent results. 
Take for example the farro. 
The Farro, the first of the Greeks, was used in Sicily, making the bread, then was used so far. 

With Farro flour, plus a good bread, you got the noodles and very tasty, nothing less than the pasta frolla. 
With the ground spelled big they did excellent soups and, finally, with the seed size, combined with beans, lentils, chickpeas, and intestines, the famous Fabata Puls. 
This we must do believe that when the Greeks landed Sicily was inhabited by savages. 
Ionian coast on the Sicilians lived those tirrenica and prosper in the Sicani and Elimi. 

These ancient people had built strong and developed city ', where at least three millennia had developed an indigenous cuisine. 
The meeting of these two civilizations' Mediterranean has enriched the arts, including culinary and has triggered a taste for good food that I find ', more' late, great reception in Greece where, little by little, developed the delicacy it replaced the bulky roasts time omerici and Maza, with the crushed barley flour. 


Besides the new kitchen was built gastronomic literature. 
First of all it was Epicurus Siracusano, follow 'MITEC and Archestrato of Gela, we are between the beginning of the fifth and fourth century BC Archestrato of Gela, in the fourth century BC, in his "fragments of gastronomy", claims to have visited every ground and every sea but in Sicily has found good taste. 
The book speaks mainly of fish: Season the most 'favorable for the various fish species and how to cook. 
The leitmotiv 'and' that of a natural cooking, frank and genuine without sofisticherie and uses only oil, salt and, if necessary, vinegar and herbs. 
Alongside these ancient recipes, are the ancestors of modern books "healing with herbs." 
He was born as' the diet of which Acrome and Eutidemo were the precursors. 
But, for now, call the diet and return to the good food of the classical period. 
In Sicily the canteens of gourmets were rich and sumptuous food, varied and tasty, they were accompanied by delicious Sicilian wines, but also from beer and mead. 
The fact that the banquet was heard as Prince opportunity for more discussions on 'various arguments, behind the rich literature that "Del Convito and Symposium." 
In that vein leave bring the bizarre work of university greek scholar of Egypt (200 AD), the Deipnosofisti, (feast of sophists), which details the gastronomic and 'mine incomparable. 
In this book, in fact, there 'a real handbook on cuisine from shellfish, tuna, peas from the Eels, with the exception swordfish, then there' to everything. 

 

Returning to our Greek friends and their eating habits. 
The food of the Greeks, in eta 'history, were three per day: a light in the morning, I'Ariston, and two more' firm, the Defeion half 'of the day, and Dorpon, at the end of the day. 
   

 

Each banquet began with the ritual of thanksgiving to the gods: the landlord, having your hands with purified water, threw fists on the brazier of barley, blood and tufts of hair of a calf sacrificed and poured wine. 
When this function propitiatory, the servants posed near each commensale, a container with bread and a cup to drink the wine liqueur lengthened with water and then began to serve the food. 
In meetings together was not always a master of the house, because 'they were often organized by some friends who met to eat each bringing in a basket, foods already' baked and wine. 
These symposia were nice, indeed, called "The Lunch of Panierino ', and' this small container of wicker, the" Spyris "which sometimes we hung a nail in some pictures of dinners. 
The menus of Greeks were varied, composed of soups, fish, meat, from eggs, from vegetables, from fresh and aged cheese and, in fundo dulcis, the sweet made of honey, nuts, milk and flour and Attic Focacce by a pyramidal shape. 
The cakes were served with rich fruit trays after each meal or during the symposium which was the most 'important and gaia the banquet, where the wine flowed in rivers and convitati, cheerful for libagioni, sang the Skola, Short and lively verses related to Ditirambo. 
Socrates criticized the opsofagi (Like) and gave the rules of etiquette on how to behave at the table, defining the art kitchen. 

 

Cities' Magna Graecia more 'considered for sumptuousness', sometimes excessive, canteens were: Syracuse, Crotone and Sibari and' just by the citizens of this city last 'and that' the word Sibarita born, still used today for indicate a person who loves the life pleasant and good food. 
And now we talk about another important civilizations': the Arabs. 
Nell'827 the Muslims of Africa landed at Marsala, called a rich Sicilian master, or Eutimio Eufemio, ribellatosi at the court of Emperor Constantine. 
They, too, as the Greeks, make many new 'nell'arte in general and in the kitchen, in particular. 
We do know sugar cane, rice, jasmine, cotton, I'anice, sesame and drugs: cinnamon and saffron. 

 

They are really able and confectioners, including cakes, we remind the Cubbaita (Qubbayt), namely, a sweet nougat of honey with sesame seeds and maridorle; the Nucatuli, from the Arabic word "Nagal" (dried fruits, jam, fresh-dry); the Cupita or better Copata: nougat very hard packed into large loaves, based on hazelnuts, egg white, sugar, honey and starch. 
Again we owe the Arabs Cassata and sorbet. 
Lovers of essences, created sweet-smelling fruit, cinnamon and even the smells of flowers. 
With jasmine, for example, created a nive ice cream, which is still wrapped in Trapani with the same Arabic name: "Scursunera." 
Invented the frosts of melon, wort, cinnamon and jasmine; created wrong and stills for the distillation of grappa that, in accordance with the Koran, only used it to disinfect wounds and, therefore, even alcohol. 
But these "invaders" have to be other tasty dishes such as cakes, dried chickpeas and zucchini flowers dried and salted as well as' the bread with the spleen of which, even today, the Palermo are ghiotti. 
This and 'the Age of the Harem. 
There are many legends about this, including the invention of cannolo. 
It is said that women were just of Caltanissetta, guests dell'Harem Kalt El Nissa, namely, Castello women, to invent the famous Sicilian dessert. 
The Arabs are defeated by the Normans of Roger II of Altavilla in the battle of Cerami in 1063. 
Scandinavian population are of a seafaring warrior and, in addition to building huge cathedrals, leading to: rotating spit, smoked herring, dried cod (Piscistaccu and Baccala '). 
In 1130 Roger II becomes king until death (1154). His reputation will be 'superseded by Frederick II of Swabia. 

   

This great ruler, in addition to the University ', fees, and a number of innovations, compose a treatise on hunting with the hawk, hunter himself and connoisseur of good food, he had at his service, many chefs and it seems dated in this period Birth of specialty 'to rotisserie. 
And here's the turn of the French with Carlo d'Angio '(Angevins 1268). 
The Sicilian rebel to their feudal system with the Vespers of 30 March 1282.
Palermo not to succumb to the French call Peter III of Aragon and behold Spaniards. 
With the peace of Caltabellotta, 1302, the French leave. 
In this period consolidates the kitchen of nobility: the Falsumagru states, that before, was called Rollo ', the French Roulle', which is upholstered in people with omelettes and vegetables, while among the nobles with meat quality. 
In 1440 Ferdinand of Castile becomes King of Aragon and Castile. 
The eta 'Spanish arrive until 1713. 
Thanks to this people know the evolution of cassata Arabic as the new rulers will import a basic ingredient: the Pan di Spagna, and yet, thanks to our friends Iberian pumpkins all'agro know the sweet and the various "mpanate" . 
Also during this period is the contribution of tomato, cocoa and corn from America, along with hot pepper, the potato, with beans, the turkey, peppers, eggplant and the arrivera 'from India. 
Now we can realize how a dish is completed over the centuries, through the addition of new elements. 
Caponata, for example, and 'the term most' typical cuisine of the law under which the dishes start at a simple, depending on the availability 'of ingredients and flavors are enriched even further thanks to those who fancy kitchen . 
Caponata then, although composed of vegetables, and 'a dish marinaresco, born in Caupona, the deadline by which the low Latina' designated the tavern, where the dish has derived its name. 
Caupona the port was preparing food for the sailors who were sailing off the coasts of 'island. 
The dictionary of the Palazzi caponata voice says: "food marinaresco, Galletti soaked in salt, oil and seasoned with vinegar." 
So no way resembled what we know today and what 'is explained well by the fact that the range of items available to the ancients was the most' poor than today, because 'not yet known. 
The eggplant, for example, comes from India in 1600, celery, although known since antiquity ', (it is interwoven with SERTI for most citizens' worth) was not used for cooking, and so' other ingredients. 
But now, and 'need to take a step back and go to Arabs that we did know rice. 
The risotto alla Milanese, in fact, could have had his home in Sicily. 
There 'a legend according to which the saffron risotto was created by chance in 1574 by one of the boys from the maestro Valerio Profondavalle, maker of windows of the Cathedral of Milan, at the wedding of his daughter.

 

But Christopher of Messisburgo, a master of the house of Cardinal Ippolito D'Este, in describing a banquet, served on January 16 1543 at the Este court, states that the second service included cooking, with timbales of pigeon, rabbits and hares, in pevorada sauce, to six dishes of rice to Sicily with raw egg yolks, grated cheese, pepper, saffron and 'inevitable sugar of all medieval recipes. 
In 1500, so Ferraresi eat today and what 'the risotto alla Milanese edition corroborant. 
And finally in sweetness, the complete speech on cannoli and the Sicilian cassata. 
Regarding the first c'e 'report by a quotation from Cicero: "Tubus farinarius, dulcissimo, edible ex lacto factus", namely "cannolo farinaceous made of milk for a sweet food." 
It seems that today's cannolo Sicilian had, as we said, Arab origins, even if it has undergone over the centuries, various remakes, his ancestor, in fact, seems to have been a cake in the shape of a banana stuffed with almonds and sugar. 
   

As for the cassata, his final preparation came during the baroque period with the use of the Pan di Spagna, when the ancient glories of gastronomy and Sicilian pastry, were tempering the habits of Spanish life and new ingredients imported to America. 
Finally we can say today that not eating, not drinking more 'to survive, but you try to do the best, because' needs a 'physiological turning into pleasure. 
Brilliant Savarin, in his book: "The physiology of taste," writes: 
"The Creator, forcing the man to eat to live, invited him with the appetite and reward him with pleasure." 

From www.sicilyland.it