Looks delicious. And to quote a late Italian chef friend, "YOU DON'T PUT CHEESE ON THE FRUTTI DI MARE!!" ( and that was yelled across the restaurant) 😂
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I wish I could have had more years with my Sicilian nonna (she passed when I was only 4 and a half). My family is from Western Sicily (San Vito Lo Capo and Castelvetrano) but a dish similar to this wasn’t passed down. I wonder if my grandmother made it when they lived in Sicily?
She made sugo (meat sauce). They arrived in the US in the early 1920’s and I think she may have adjusted what type of sauce she made based on what was more readily available in Detroit, MI. Unfortunately it’s not possible for me to ask anyone who would know. They’ve all passed away. A great message to everyone who still has living elders: make sure you ask them questions, cook with them, and pass down this vital information! My Grandma Vita made wonderful bread, pizza, and cannolo!
Interesting about the name, although the second theory does sound pretty farfetched. I love to make Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup (The Woks of Life fab recipe) but wondered why something called Taiwanese was full of Western Chinese flavors (star anise, cinnamon, cumin, etc). Of course there's a Wikipedia page...it's says that it developed in the 1950s after the Kuomintang retreat from Sichuan to Taiwan -- they brought the flavors with them.
One of my favorite dishes is tonno alla stemperata. The recipe I use calls for sultana raisins which I always substitute with zante currants preferring the darker flavor with fish.
I often use anchovies when I want a little funky umami. I just don't tell my guests that they are in the sauce.
It is in Mary Taylor Simeti's Pomp and Sustenance, 1989. 4 cloves garlic, 6 ribs celery, 1 cup pitted green olives, 1/2 cup capers. 6 tuna steaks sautéed in olive oil. Remove fish, and the vegetables and sauté for a while, add the vinegar and mostly evaporate it, pour over the fish and let sit in the vinegar. It is supposed to be served at room temperature but I like it warm. The prep also works well with swordfish and salmon.
This looks amazing. My Sicilian Nana used to make pasta with anchovies, and some dishes with pine nuts. I love the combination of the two. I must admit that I am surprised by the addition of the currents. Eager to try this!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Can you please clarify whether the currants used in this recipe (and Sicilian cooking in general) are dried Zante grapes or dried currant fruit?
It looks like in the US they would be called Zante currants. I always have a problem with naming this ingredient…I used to call them raisins from Corinth lol! In Sicilian it’s called Passulina
I was about to ask this question as well. The product sold as currants in the U.S. are actually tiny seedless grapes and taste nothing like black currants. Big difference.
Looks delicious. And to quote a late Italian chef friend, "YOU DON'T PUT CHEESE ON THE FRUTTI DI MARE!!" ( and that was yelled across the restaurant) 😂
Yes I can confirm that is the stuff of public humiliation…😂
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I wish I could have had more years with my Sicilian nonna (she passed when I was only 4 and a half). My family is from Western Sicily (San Vito Lo Capo and Castelvetrano) but a dish similar to this wasn’t passed down. I wonder if my grandmother made it when they lived in Sicily?
My nonna was from Trapani and she made this all the time, especially in the winters in Turin…what did your nonna make?
She made sugo (meat sauce). They arrived in the US in the early 1920’s and I think she may have adjusted what type of sauce she made based on what was more readily available in Detroit, MI. Unfortunately it’s not possible for me to ask anyone who would know. They’ve all passed away. A great message to everyone who still has living elders: make sure you ask them questions, cook with them, and pass down this vital information! My Grandma Vita made wonderful bread, pizza, and cannolo!
Delizioso, even while abstaining from cheese ;-) !
Interesting about the name, although the second theory does sound pretty farfetched. I love to make Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup (The Woks of Life fab recipe) but wondered why something called Taiwanese was full of Western Chinese flavors (star anise, cinnamon, cumin, etc). Of course there's a Wikipedia page...it's says that it developed in the 1950s after the Kuomintang retreat from Sichuan to Taiwan -- they brought the flavors with them.
One of my favorite dishes is tonno alla stemperata. The recipe I use calls for sultana raisins which I always substitute with zante currants preferring the darker flavor with fish.
I often use anchovies when I want a little funky umami. I just don't tell my guests that they are in the sauce.
Not familiar with that recipe at all, what are the other ingredients?
It is in Mary Taylor Simeti's Pomp and Sustenance, 1989. 4 cloves garlic, 6 ribs celery, 1 cup pitted green olives, 1/2 cup capers. 6 tuna steaks sautéed in olive oil. Remove fish, and the vegetables and sauté for a while, add the vinegar and mostly evaporate it, pour over the fish and let sit in the vinegar. It is supposed to be served at room temperature but I like it warm. The prep also works well with swordfish and salmon.
It is ADD the vegetables to the pan AND and the vegetables.
Corrrrr this sounds gorgeous. Huge thanks, a delightful read.
Treeza
This looks amazing. My Sicilian Nana used to make pasta with anchovies, and some dishes with pine nuts. I love the combination of the two. I must admit that I am surprised by the addition of the currents. Eager to try this!
I am informed here above that the ones we use are called Zante currants in the US
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Can you please clarify whether the currants used in this recipe (and Sicilian cooking in general) are dried Zante grapes or dried currant fruit?
https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/what-are-currants-differences-raisins?amp
It looks like in the US they would be called Zante currants. I always have a problem with naming this ingredient…I used to call them raisins from Corinth lol! In Sicilian it’s called Passulina
Thanks for clarifying! I'm glad to hear this. It is much easier to find the Zante currants/raisins than dried currant berries.
I was about to ask this question as well. The product sold as currants in the U.S. are actually tiny seedless grapes and taste nothing like black currants. Big difference.