6 Dishes to Try on Your Trip to Palermo

The simple ingredients, easy preparation, and robust flavor of traditional Sicilian tomato sauce highlight the historic gastronomy of the island. The sauce requires minimal ingredients, including olive oil, garlic, basil, onions, and cherry tomatoes. Sicilian tomato sauce pairs well with roasted fish or served over particular types of pasta that are meant to soak up the bits of sauce.  Many families still prepare massive amounts of the sauce between summer and autumn to last the winter.

Squid or cuttlefish ink is a typical ingredient that is used in making a sauce for seafood pasta. Other components include tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, garlic, and the possible addition of chili pepper. The sauce generally coats particular types of pasta, adding a complex flavor to a seafood dish. Some commercial chefs in Palermo and greater Sicily will mix the ink with fresh pasta and deep black noodles, resulting in dynamic layers of seafood in a single dish that you can enjoy.

The typical Palermo dessert is made of fried dough shaped like a short tube stuffed with ricotta cheese, chocolate, or yellow cream and seasoned with pistachio, candied fruit, or powdered sugar. With fresh flavors, from the cheese to the orange peel, chocolate to the pistachio, the best cannoli embodies the culinary culture and a connection to sweet treats in which you can indulge.

The typical dessert truffle in Palermo has a round shape made from sponge cake and stuffed with cream or chocolate. A topping of cocoa powder makes the truffle very decadent. The traditional dessert truffle is focused on the depth of chocolate, but there are also vanilla, coffee, and candied-cherry truffles. The variety of flavors only supports the mastery of the dish around Palermo and Sicily for a more refined and luxurious tasting experience.

Palermitana cuisine highlights the abundance of natural ingredients grown around the province by creating depth of flavor. Arancini captures the remarkable differences and abundant reimaginings of the culinary landscape. The risotto-like texture can combine with meat, cheese, and sauce to exemplify how the street food of Palermo differs from the city’s everyday cuisine. The fried rice balls instead reflect the established flavors and evolution of reusing ingredients connected to agricultural traditions.

Pasta alla Norma is a dish made of hearty flavors that feature locally grown herbs and vegetables, such as tomatoes, eggplant, and basil. The salted ricotta adds a nice rounded flavor, as well as a creamy texture. The pasta builds to an intense and dynamic flavor using simple, accessible elements and complementary ingredients. While invented in Catania, Palermo has embodied the spirit of the dish and its connection to a legend in which the recipe was created as a tribute to the opera “Norma.”

If Sicily is a culinary pillar of Italy, Palermo is the foundation with a food culture ingrained into the daily lives of locals. Whether in the tradition of wealthy aristocracy or customary poor culinary techniques, Palermo’s volcanic soils, Mediterranean light, and connection to the sea provide an all-encompassing gastronomic scene. You can find deeper inspiration for your trip with Zicasso’s Italy Travel Guide. Ready to plan your dream trip? You can speak with an Italy travel specialist by filling out a Trip Request or by calling our team at 1-888-265-9707.