Rooftop Gourmet

After a breif stint in sunny Florida, it appears that we brought some of the nice weather back home with us. The teasing sunshine inspired me to pop open a bottle of one of my favorite Sicilian reds that I recently wrote an article about. I have always been a fan of Sicily’s melting pot cuisine with influences from all over the globe combined with local island fare. I decided to roast a chicken stuffed with tons of citrus and sprinkled with dried chili flakes. Citrus trees grow all over the island and are used frequently in the cooking.

Agrodolce translates to “sweet and sour”, which is a huge part of the cuisine as well. Balance is something that the Sicilian culture thrives on, whether it’s sweet and sour, hot and cold, or soft and crunchy. I made agrodolce onions by sauteing pearl onions in a reduction of white wine vinegar and sugar. I also tossed in some golden raisins at the end to add some texture and an extra pop of gooey sweetness. Here is the article that I submitted for our monthly wine newsletter…

Floating all alone in the Mediterranean Sea, the island of Sicily has long been the black sheep of quality Italian winemaking regions. In the past, the tradition of bulk winemaking has caused oenophiles to turn up their noses and drink their Brunello. However, in 2005, a new generation of winemakers infiltrated the vineyards and achieved the islands’ first D.O.C.G attribution. Joining the other all-stars such as Brunello  di Montalcino, Barolo, and Barbaresco, the Cerasuolo di Vittoria is the Yao Ming of Italian viticulture. It’s about time since the land is sprawled with vineyards and has a climate similar to that of Napa Valley. Sicily produces more wine than Chile and Argentina combined; and now they have the celebrity status to prove it. The Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita or D.O.C.G is only applied to Italian wines which have distinctive signs of high quality, determined by vineyard and wine-making techniques (overall less than 8% of Italian wine production); not bad for a region known for their Marsala.

 As is true for every region of the country, the local wine compliments the style of the cuisine. The bold and muscular Nebbiolo from the north can stand face to face with a rich braise such as Osso Bucco. The 2008 Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria is much more versatile, which it has to be, to take on the circus-like cuisine of Sicily. The island’s crucial stop along the Mediterranean trade routes provided the cuisine and culture a matchless blend of Greek, French, Spanish, Arab and African influences. The healthy local fare is beyond unique, combining sweet and spicy flavors with the catch of the day.

The 2008 Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria is composed of 60% Nero d’Avola and 40% Frappato. Cerasuolo, meaning “cherry red”, perfectly describes the color of the wine. The aromatic Frappato fills your nose with sweet, strawberry candy and gently introduces you to the richer, earthier Nero d’Avola. This medium bodied red has silky smooth tannins and is purely seductive on the palate. The playful juiciness combined with the Burgundian sophistication makes this a unique, yet incredibly likeable wine. The natural acidity makes this a great food wine that will pair well with spicy dishes, or throw a quick chill on it in the summer and serve it with grilled seafood.

While laying out on the beach relaxing, I had plenty of time to come up with exciting new recipes for blog posts so stay tuned for some creative ideas, and always delicious wines.

“Italian Food” is a term that is almost impossible to define because each and every region of the country is so diverse when it comes to food and wine. Italians cook with whatever is grown or caught locally and only grow certain foods or grapes that are indigenous to a specific area. This is one of the reasons why you see a lot of rich braises and stews like Osso Bucco in the north and light seafood dishes in the south and in coastal cities.

Sicily has one of the strangest collections of indigenous ingredients and their cuisine is like a giant melting pot of cultures. Influences of Spanish, Greek, African, and Arab culture and cuisine all pop up in Sicilian food. One of the most interesting aspects of Sicilian cooking is their incorporation of sweet ingredients to their savory food.

Since they are known for their desserts, it almost seems as if they are just throwing the leftovers into their pasta dishes but the style actually comes from other cultures. Classic Sicilian dishes contain lots of citrus, sugars, dried fruits, nuts, cinnamon and nutmeg spices… all while incorporating seafood (it’s an island).

It seems really strange but some of the combinations are delicious. I chose the pistachio to work with because Sicilians use them a lot in desserts, like pistachio gelato, but I wanted to make a pasta sauce with them.

I pulsed a cup of pistachios in the food processor until I was left with a bright green pistachio dust. I made a simple cream sauce and incorporated the toasted ‘dust’ into the cream to add color and pistachio flavor. The little green nut looks like a lime jelly bean but has a buttery, almost avocado-like quality to it (they’re also very good for your heart).

I tossed the sauce with some calamari or as the Sicilians would call it ‘cuttlefish’ to add a briny component to the pasta. I chose the Farfalle pasta (bow ties) because the shape is conducive for adhering to heavy cream sauces and sprinkled some chopped pistachios on top for an added crunch.

To sop up all of the leftover sauce, I made some roasted garlic-caramelized shallot toast which fit well with the Sicilian theme. Balances of sweet and salty are what this cuisine is based on and when garlic cloves are roasted and onions are caramelized they take on a wonderful sweet quality which worked nicely with the rich, nutty sauce.

I chose a white wine from the Alto Adige region of Italy, the 2008 Terlan Terlano, which is grown in the mountains to the north. This wine is symbolic of Sicilian cuisine because it is a blend of multiple white grapes; Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, all which come together to create something unique.

The wine was excellent with the rich pasta dish because the acidity and minerality helped cut through the creamy sauce. It is medium bodied and beautifully balanced with tons of green apple and melon flavors. 

 The finish was crisp and refreshing, leaving an almost yeasty, buttery feeling on my palate. I feel that a red wine would have masked the subtle pistachio flavors but rather the white made them come alive. I find it quite ironic that Sicilians are famous for their desserts but still incorporate sweet items into their food; my sweet tooth craving was cured after dinner was finished.