Essential Recipes from a Mediterranean Island

A beautiful collection of delicious Sicilian recipes, complete with stunning photography of the island itself

Discover the flavours of Sicily through this irresistible collection of recipes, each accompanied by specially commissioned photography that captures the island’s sun-soaked charm.

From the bustling streets of Palermo to the colourful markets of Cefalù, Sicily is a feast for the senses. In these pages, Sicilian cook Enza Genovese invites you to travel across her homeland through food—from the first golden bite of an arancino to the sweet crunch of a canola.

You’ll find time-honoured classics alongside new favourites, each recipe crafted to bring the warmth and generosity of Sicilian cooking into your own kitchen.

Chapters include

Antipasti
Arancini, Nonna’s eggplant parmigiana, Sicilian focaccia

Pasta
Casarecce alla Norma, spaghetti with ricotta and pistachios, sardine bucatini

Risotto and Couscous
Artichoke and pea risotto, Trapanese couscous, lobster risotto

Meat
Meatballs in white sauce, pork ragù, vegetable polpettone

Fish
Stuffed calamari, swordfish with capers and almonds, tuna millefoglie

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Nonna’s Stuffed Aubergines

Melanzane della nonna

Aubergines are in season between July and September and, when summer arrives, I can’t wait to make this recipe for my guests. I prepare it the day before and the result is irresistible.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Resting time: Overnight
Cooking time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 5 long Violette aubergines or long aubergines

• 100 ml (3½ fl oz) olive oil, plus extra for greasing and drizzling

• 1 red onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 80 g (2¾ oz) jarred anchovy fillets in olive oil

• 3 tablespoons capers

• 15 flat-leaf parsley sprigs, chopped

• 3 tablespoons passata

• 80 g (2¾ oz) grated Parmesan cheese

• 50 g (1¾ oz) dry breadcrumbs

• 3 eggs

• 50 ml (2 fl oz) white balsamic vinegar

• 1 quantity Sicilian Tomato Sauce (see page 52)

• Salt

Method

1. Prepare the aubergines
   The day before, cut the aubergines in half lengthways. Using a spoon, scrape out the flesh and reserve. Put the aubergine shells in a large saucepan, cover with cold salted water, bring to the boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain immediately and let the shells cool.

2. Cook the filling
   Cut the reserved flesh into small pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan and fry the onion and garlic until lightly browned. Add the aubergine flesh and mix well. Stir in the anchovies, capers, parsley and passata. Cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat. Once cool, add the Parmesan, breadcrumbs and 1 egg, stirring until evenly combined. Set aside.

3. Prepare the hard-boiled eggs
   Hard-boil the remaining 2 eggs in a pan of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Plunge into cold water, peel, and cut each egg into 4 or 5 pieces.

4. Assemble and bake
   Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4.
   Oil an ovenproof dish large enough to hold all the aubergine shells (or use two smaller dishes). Arrange the shells in a single layer. Divide the chopped eggs among them, then fill each shell with the cooked aubergine mixture. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for about 30 minutes.

5. Finish and serve
   As soon as the aubergines come out of the oven, sprinkle with a few drops of white balsamic vinegar and coat with the tomato sauce. Allow to rest overnight and serve cold the following day.

Recipe published with permission from Mitchell Beazley.