Sicilian Street Food

Sicily has one of the world's most vibrant and diverse street food cultures. Its multi-cultural culinary history, with ingredients and methods from around the world, makes its array of delights for casual, on-the-go eating genuinely unique.

As the gateway to the Mediterranean and a connection point between Europe and Africa, Sicily has been occupied many times. Each of these cultures has influenced Sicilian cuisine and street food:

• Greeks introduced ricotta, flatbreads and olive oil.
• Romans introduced baking, frying and preservation techniques.
• Arabs introduced rice, chickpeas, couscous and saffron.
• Normans popularised grilled and stuffed meats, salt cod and French pastry techniques.
• Spanish brought tomatoes, potatoes and peppers.

Many Sicilian street foods originated as cucina povera or peasant cuisine, using inexpensive ingredients to provide affordable food. Street foods have thrived in Sicily’s vibrant street markets, where fresh, ready-to-eat foods are sold to locals and visitors. Sicily is a very sociable culture steeped in religious festivals and celebrations during which street foods are served.

My top ten Sicily Street Foods are:

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#1 Arancini‍

A deep-fried, breaded rice balls with delicious fillings such as ragù ('meat sauce'), mozzarella, ham and peas. The name is inspired by their typically round shape and golden colour, resembling small oranges. In Italian arance means 'oranges' and arancini means 'little oranges'.

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‍#2 Sfincione

A thick Sicilian-style pizza with a soft and thick focaccia base, topped with tomato sauce, oregano, onions, anchovies and other ingredients. The story goes that sfincione was first invented by the nuns of the San Vito monastery in Palermo as a festive bread, only to be eaten on Christmas Eve but eaten anytime!

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#3 Scaccia

A very thin pizza dough or flatbread that is topped with various ingredients and then folded over on itself so it resembles a strudel. They are often cut diagonally to reveal their layers. Scacciata derives from the Sicilian word meaning 'to drive away', equivalent to the Italian word schiacciata, meaning 'to crush' or 'to flatten'.

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#4 Stigghiola

A skewer of carefully cleaned lamb, veal, or goat intestines, seasoned with parsley, lemon, salt, and pepper, grilled and cooked over open flames.

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#5 Crocchè (Cazzilli)

A deep-fried mashed potato croquette (first rolled in breadcrumbs) mixed with a variety of other ingredients such as meat or cheese.

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#6 Pane e Panelle

A panelle is a savoury, crispy fritter made from chickpea flour. It is sandwiched between soft bread or a sesame seed roll and is often served with a good squeeze of fresh lemon.

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#7 Quaresimali Biscotti

A biscuit with a crunchy texture made from flour, sugar and almonds, sometimes with other flavourings. Biscotti were traditionally prepared during Lent or quaresima, when ingredients were kept simple in keeping with the modest, reflective nature of the period.

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#8 Cannoli

A tube of crisp fried pastry filled with fresh sweetened ricotta, sometimes including fruit or chocolate. It is often called cannoli siciliano to credit its origin. It is always best eaten when made to avoid the shell going soft.

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#9 Gelato

An Italian ice cream, gelato simply means 'frozen'. Gelato comes in many different flavours and contains less air and more flavouring than other ice creams, giving it a greater density and richness.

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#10 Granita e Brioche

A semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and flavouring. It is related to creamier ice cream and sorbet, which is more compact, but neither. It is best served with a hot, sweet Brioche bun, sometimes with a tuppo meaning 'top'.

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There are many more Sicilian street foods to discover including: cipollina, frittola, rascatura, spiedini alla siciliana, sarde a beccafico, babbaluci, pitoni, cudduruni, frittata di pasta, cartocciata, rosticceria. So as you explore Sicily make an advanture of the street food too!