I Love Italian Regional Cuisine - Pairing Sicilian Cuisine With White Wine

Can you believe that almost half of Sicily's huge wine production is made from white grapes? Not many of these wines are available in North America, at least not yet. So I have suggested fine or sometimes fair to middling white wines that come from other regions of Italy. All the more reason to plan a trip to this great island. Just take my advice, don't go in the summer unless you love the heat.

If you like anchovies and you like fritters you may go for Crispeddi (Anchovy and Dill Fritters), a dish that also contains peperoncino, Italian hot peppers. Recommended wines include Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC from The Marches, a wine often paired with fish and seafood and Vermentino di Sardegna DOC from the island of Sardinia northwest of Sicily.

Sicily was once part of the Arab world. You can see the Arab influence in many dishes such as Couscous con Pesce (Fish Stew Couscous). Sicilians tend to make couscous with fish such as grouper or red snapper, whereas North Africans tend to prefer vegetables, mutton, or a lamb sausage known as merguez. Once again a good suggestion is Vermentino di Sardegna DOC but so is Fiano di Avellino DOCG from the Campania region of southern Italy. I am a real fan of Fiano but don't think of suing me if you are unhappy with it.

Involtini di Pesce Spada (Swordfish Rolls) are fairly tricky to prepare but are delicious. It goes very well with salmoriglio sauce, an Italian sauce that you won't find in many local supermarkets. Once you worked hard on the fish and the sauce, you'll want to be pleased with the wine. Two of the choices are Greco di Tufo DOCG or its close neighbor, Fiano di Avellino DOCG.

Some say that Pasta con le Sarde (Pasta With Sardines) is Sicily's signature dish. I'm not all that partial to sardines and even less so to raisins but lots of Sicilians eat it up. If you want to do it right, use Bucatini and cook it al dente. This is really a Sicilian dish and so let's not be surprised that the appropriate wines are probably not available here. Your best bet is most likely a Verdicchio di Matelica DOC. If you can't get it try your luck with its cousin Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC that most people put lower in the wine pecking (sipping?) order.

For dessert you may want to try Cannoli con Ricotta (Ricotta-stuffed Rolls) that are available in many Italian pastry shops. Otherwise making them is tricky but they can be delicious. It's also tricky to find an appropriate dessert wine to accompany them. Your best choice is probably Moscato Passito di Pantelleria DOC from the tiny island of Pantelleria south of Sicily. In 1971 this became the third wine to be accorded the once prestigious DOC classification. You might also try your luck with the once great and now trying to claw its way back Marsala. Take my advice; don't even think about going to a Marsala cooking wine, not even for cooking.

About the Author:

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but really prefers drink fine German, Italian, or other wine. He teaches various computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines and new sections writing about and tasting organic and kosher wines. Visit his wine, nutrition, and health website www.wineinyourdiet.com .

Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com

Tags: Italy

, food

, wine pairing

, regional specialties

, traditional dishes

, fine wine

, red

, white

, Italian cuisine

, Sicily

Related....

Videos...

Recent Food-and-Drink Articles

Cuisinart Coffee Pot Review By: Andrea Wilson | May 30th 2012 - In the current markets, buying a coffee pot can turn out to be quite daunting. This is due to the wide array of brands as well as dealers selling the coffee pots. Even with the wide array of these pots, the Cuisinart coffee pot has managed to remain an attractive option.

Cuisinart Coffee Pot Review

Celebrate National Pretzel Day By: Mark F. Gomez | May 30th 2012 - Regardless of how you like your pretzel, you can always depend on someone who knows exactly how to prepare a wide variety of them for your upcoming event. In West Texas, Gomez Catering best knows how to turn your pretzel party into an event that everyone can enjoy.

Radiation Levels In Redmond Real Salt By: RK Ellertson | May 30th 2012 - Could salt actually be contaminated by radiation?

Ways To Hail The Mighty Pigs In A Blanket By: Mark F. Gomez | May 30th 2012 - April 24th is national Pigs in a Blanket day. This food has been one of the all-time favorite treats throughout the world. Theyre simple, tasty, and convenient for anyone that wants to grab a bite and get moving. While the customary sausage in a roll is perhaps the most renowned, nation ...

Superior Quality Australian Beef Jerky You Won't Obtain Any Place Else By: emmawhite | May 30th 2012 - Have you tried Australian beef jerky? Discover why Aussies like consuming this particular delicious snack over other alternatives. This healthy and balanced choice provides nutrients that will help you tone up and shed excess fats.

beef jerky Australia

Australian Beef Jerky

Can A Messy Job Like Catering Be Made Greener By: Joel Rubin | May 30th 2012 - There is a lot of pressure being brought to bear right now on restaurant owners from local, state and other officials to make their operations greener. Many of these changes will take a considerable amount of time, effort and money to implement. One of the things that restaurants can do in ...

disposable plates

disposable trays

disposable tableware

disposable food containers

biodegradable plates

How To Prepare Vegetables Better And Faster By: Lawrence Reaves | May 30th 2012 - Many people eat more vegetables these days, such as people who are on low-carbohydrate diets. So it makes sense to learn how to prepare your vegetables quickly and efficiently.

Commercial Fryer For Crispy, Golden Goodness! By: dunitzsantrino | May 30th 2012 - To cook is to create. Cooking is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste as much as careful measurements. Good food and its taste is always an asset!

Commercial Fryer

Restaurant Fryers

The Key Reason Why Aquaponics System So Popular Around All-natural Farmers? By: masere11 | May 30th 2012 - How many of you have ever been curious about how fresh vegetables are produced? How many of you have ever thought about how much chemical substances are used for vegetables to appear fresh and taste great? That is a big problem in our todays modern world. Farm owners, today, grow their ...

Check this out

When Do I Add Hops? When Are Hops Added During The Brewing Process? By: Midwest Supplies | May 30th 2012 - Hops are typically added to wort in 1-3 stages during the boil: bittering, flavor and aroma. These stages have to do with what role they are playing in your beer, and are not associated with a specific type of hop. In other words, the same hop variety might be used for bittering, flavor an ...

homebrew beer

hops

beer brewing process

Comments

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

Site Navigation: